Goodbye Midnight
by oh HALE no
Summary: What would've happened if Jasper got that first taste of Bella's blood at her birthday party? New Moon re-write. NOT A JASPER/BELLA ROMANCE FIC.
1. Papercut by LinkinPark

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the rights to Twilight and am not affiliated to Stephenie Meyer in any way. This is merely a fanfiction that was written for readers like you. Thank you._

Stone cold grip… Ice cold touch. Fires burning my throat, that crimson drop feeding the flames…

I lunged and wasn't stopped. In the split second that I had made my next move clear in my mind, neither Alice nor Edward moved quick enough to stop my teeth from tearing a fresh wound through her porcelain skin.

I felt a noise I would only recognize in combat as a sudden numb force smacked into my shoulder. Too weak…

Two strong arms gripped my shoulders and got me free, but I launched forward again and my teeth pierced a second wound. Not quick enough…

Six arms were now fighting with me to pry me off and it had only been seconds since I had tasted her delectable blood. The more blood I had taken in, the stronger I became, even if it was a small fraction of a difference. I devoured the power, the strength, the delicacy hungrily, readily, thirsty. The family of deer I had hunted earlier this morning was only an appetizer, no, a mere crumb compared to this rich tasting, amazing—

And then it was gone and I was devastated.

I tore through the grip of my siblings, ripping and tearing, fighting and seething. This wasn't my family… my family wouldn't keep me from this heaven. They were nothing to me right now. My mindset was on finding that heaven again.

My vision was blurred as I was shaking and thrashing violently between the three who were containing me.

"Jasper—Jasper—stop," a pleading voice begged and I wasn't sure if it was my conscious or Esme.

"The couch—a table?" Voices rushed around me as I continued to fight the arms that held me tightly. My vision was blocked off by Carlisle's back as he rushed in to move Bella away from me. I snarled and ripped toward Emmett, who forced me down.

"Carlisle—there's still blood on the—" Alice—my wife… my beautiful adoring wife—her panicked voice erupted immediately, but she was far away from me, unreachable.

"Emmet and Rosalie, take him outside. Esme, help Alice!" Carlisle's voice was rushed, but somewhat calm under the situation at hand and Edward was right by his side.

I felt an arm let go of my own as Esme ran to clean off the blood and Emmett and Rosalie worked together in forcing me outside through my torment as I realized what I had done.

I tore away from them and Rosalie hissed as she back toward the door.

"I'm—fine," I gasped out through my burning throat and fires of torment ripping through my chest as I took a step forward as if to run. Contemplating my options…

"It was inevitable, Edward knew that," Rosalie spat to Emmett.

"Rose, now's not the time," he replied with equal ferocity in his voice.

I stepped forward again and closed my eyes in frustration. Why had I been so easily tempted and that had been… too easy as if… Edward wanted me to…

A quick snarl of anguish and warning erupted over Bella's cries of pain and begs for the pain to stop and that is what stopped my thoughts from Edward himself upstairs.

"I'm a–monster," my words were barely above an audible whisper even for a vampire. I have done this before, I have been this weak before and we've fled, we've left, but Alice was practically on top of me warning me and reminding me that it was okay…

Sure this was her best friend that I had practically brutally murdered, but I'm not…

Am I truly thinking of blaming Alice for not coming outside and making sure I was okay? Bella was the one who needed to be okay, not me. I'm perfectly fine with a stomach half full of her blood.

"It's too late, the venom has already reached the heart by now—" I heard Carlisle's words as Edward's emotions wavered to certainty.

"This is what she wanted," Alice murmured.

There was silence for a few moments and the cries of anguish from Bella had ceased.

"She's going to be alright?" Edward managed to ask, his voice strained. There was a pause and his emotion went straight back to anguish. "Carlisle…" he seethed.

"She didn't lose enough blood for her to suffer a worse consequence. Anything broken from—well… it will be repaired with the venom."

"Charlie will have the entire town looking for her with pitchforks and shotguns by midnight," Emmett muttered, he was upstairs now too. I hadn't noticed that he had left. I glanced behind me and Rosalie was still there, bemused by the situation or by her reflection in the glass. Nothing seemed to faze her.

"Alice can—" Edward began, his voice still strained, but Alice beat him to it.

"Good evening, Mr. Swan," Alice began on the phone. "Oh nothing's wrong, I just want to borrow Bella for the night for a sleepover, you wouldn't mind, would you?" She paused at his comment and covered with, "just the two of us, no boy's allowed."

"It may be longer than one night," Carlisle began hesitantly.

"She can borrow my pajamas and we have a pull-out couch," Alice continued.

"For the venom to spread completely—she may not wake up for two days—one day, perhaps, but unlikely," Carlisle continued.

Her heartbeat faltered as Edward's silence continued. One beat skipped, then deadened and thudded dully. Alice hung up the phone and rejoined my family crowding around my latest victim. Heartbreak, anguish, anger, ferocity, worry, sympathy, empathy, and Rosalie's apathy tensely hung overhead.

That's when I ran.

* * *

**Review.**


	2. Hate Me By BlueOctober

_Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with neither Twilight nor Stephenie Meyer in anyway. This was written for readers like you. Thank you._

I blew past trees, past former preys, past what felt like my life as I continued running. I had a lump in the pit of my stomach, a feeling I thought I had gotten rid of since I had become immortal.

The emotions that I had inflicted on others around me in what I considered my previous life was now looming over me as if karma did in fact return to haunt me. I felt as if my limbs were numb, my body was trying to go into a lockdown, not used to this emotions cause by my own mind rather than others around me.

I was a monster, and that was never going to change.

I knew she was behind me. I heard her approach me, but I didn't pay her any attention. I feared that if I turned around, I would harm her. The blood I had consumed earlier was boiling in my body as I uprooted a tree.

She let me continue my self-loathing spree, until it pained her to stand still and she moved to clean up my inhumane mess, but I was sitting on the trunk of a tree I had already turned over, the roots mere inches from my side.

She attempted to put a comforting hand on my shoulder and I shot across the forest once again, leaning against a tree that I managed to spare and staring forward with a hard gaze. She tried to approach me from the front now, and I closed my eyes in response, pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration.

"It isn't your—" Esme began the unnecessary speech, but I cut her short.

"My fault? Of course it is, Esme, don't appease me," I snarled, hating my harsh tone, but hating the pity she felt. She fell silent and was behind me again, her cool breath piercing my neck; her fingers trembled as they hesitantly rested on my shoulder. I didn't move.

"Relax, she's fine," Esme murmured quietly.

"FINE!" I turned to her and she backed up into the tree. I approached her menacingly, knowing that if Carlisle were here, he would slaughter me for even looking at her this way. I stared at her with a deadened gaze, a pained gaze that I tried to hide, but did not succeed in doing.

"I practically murdered Alice's best friend, Edward's partner, our family's new love and you're telling me it isn't my fault? I violated her humanity, her mortality! Who would want this? I wouldn't put our lives, our HELL on anyone."

Not to mention what I wasn't think about and forced myself to save for later. I not only broke the treaty with the La Push shape-shifters, but I violated the strict rules set by the Volturi. Not only did I practically murder a harmless girl, but also I practically murdered myself and put my family in danger.

I noted the spark of something other than concern in Esme's eyes and shot across the forest floor, darting to a tree thirty feet away. Again, she followed me, knowing I had gotten rid of my rampage.

And where was Alice? Again, I couldn't blame her. I practically murdered her best friend, which she warned me from day one would truly devastate her and she had praised my achievements thus far, until now…

Now she was standing over the body of a newborn that I had created. The one creature I had helped train and slaughter in a fixed genocide set by Maria, the creature who created me. I was no better than her.

"I meant Alice," Esme contradicted, and I froze. "She doesn't want to leave Edward, but she didn't want to hurt you with pity. She was half-terrified you were off for good, but Edward convinced her otherwise." I silently thanked him, just picturing her pained face that I had left after the… incident.

"She loves you, but she loves Bella and Edward as well, not nearly as much," Esme corrected and continued, "but she's there for Edward—making sure she's alright, when she's going to awake…"

Ah, of course… my anger had before blinded all my sensibility and was now unleashed. Alice would be used to predict when Bella would wake, this way any need for lying to Charlie again would be discussed and taken care of before it was considered odd of Bella's disappearance.

"She told me to leave you to—well, wallow, but that's not what a mother does," Esme put a hand on my shoulder and I still didn't move, my eyes closed, and I wouldn't budge. "Jasper, no one would even dream of disowning you, like I'm sure you are thinking. You made a mistake, but how many have we all made put together? Thousands upon thousands! Your situation is completely understandable."

"My situation is the most recent and the most vicious and thoughtless of all of the past attacks. I've harmed a family member," I seethed through clenched teeth.

"I am utterly positive that Edward does not blame you for this."

"I am utterly positive that everyone should, not just Edward," I contradicted. "Even Alice should—"

"She doesn't."

"But she should!" I yelled frustrated. "I practically murdered her best friend! Edward's partner for eternity! I don't know what I would do without Alice, I can't imagine how he felt, how he feels to have Bella on the brink of—"

"Being safe," Esme interrupted.

I turned around and stared at my "mother" blankly. "Being—safe?"

"She's safe, she's one of us, she's what she wanted from the start, and Isabella Marie Swan is going to be able to defend herself if, god forbid, Victoria does come back, or Laurent or anyone tries to harm her ever again. Edward has his mate for eternity, safe and unscathed. That's all he's ever and all I've ever wanted for him."

I didn't speak. There was no need. I saw her point and it pained me to even think that way. I was the murderer here, and yet my family remained on my side. I knew Rosalie would, but the fact that Esme was here telling me Edward wasn't blaming me, that Alice was pained by my absence, and that I was not being disowned lifted a small weight from my shoulders.

There were much bigger conflicts and consequences to consider that I wasn't thinking about. This was definitely not a happy ending, nor would it end happily. Bella would lose her father and had already lost her mortality. Any bit of happiness she had from being a normal human teenager was stolen from her. I had violated her; I had practically stolen any sense of who she was in that one minute.

Esme was staring at me with wide eyes, holding out a hand toward me, but I hesitated.

This was not over. Hell, this was not even close! I was forced with this guilt hung over my head, a consequence of my animalistic tendencies and action today that stole yet another life from the world.

"And I'm sure that Edward and Alice, as well as Carlisle, Emmett, Rosalie, and Bella," Esme continued, "would enjoy your company when she wakes tomorrow afternoon." She shook her hand in the air, waiting for me to take her hand and join her on the mile jog back to the house.

I hesitantly took a step forward and tilted my head to the side, staring at her hand as my once rigid, now trembling hand took her own. I looked toward the dirt unorganized path in front of us as we hopped trees and darted back to the house.

"He's back, Alice, now please relax," Edward soothed.

I was immediately bombarded with emotions. Esme's accomplishment, which I had recognized and experienced for the last half mile, Carlisle had his own wave of accomplishment and yet the two mixed in with an aura of worry and concern. Emmett seemed relieved, and I would later see him with Alice in his lap, trying to get her to relax. Rosalie remained apathetic even now. Alice was worried and anxious, running down the stairs and greeting me at the bottom, grabbing my hands and looking at me straight in the eyes as if warning me never to leave again.

The house still swelled with Bella's magnificent scent and I swallowed in response, but the pain I felt emanating from Edward was what stopped any thought from continuing. Esme disappeared from my side as Alice tilted her head to the side, questioning my emotions. I would've laughed if the circumstance were less grim.

I nodded slightly and she squeezed my hand, edging me forward toward the stairs. I ascended the stairs with my wife, glad that she had somehow forgiven me, which I knew wouldn't last, but she was happy I had returned, as was everyone.

"Her hand moved," Esme commented.

"It's been twitching and shifting—" Edward replied.

I looked at Alice outside the closed door of Carlisle's study; the first place they had put her after the incident. Alice looked at my pained eyes as if she recognized the lump in my throat and the agony tearing through my body. "You don't have to go in there," she whispered, inaudible to human ears. "Just as long as you're home, Jasper."

I turned toward the door, surveying the emotions. No more anger, although Edward would once he stopped blocking out my thoughts and saw me for the first time since… No anger or hatred toward my return. The accomplishment and concern, apathy and worry, relief and… was that… _jealousy_?

* * *

**_Author's Thank You's: _I will tell you that all of you are quite amazing. There were 53+ e-mails I have received since I wrote the first chapter to _Untitled_. I've gotten things such as Favorite Author and Favorite Story, Story Alerts, amazing and truly sweet reviews from fanpires like myself. I want to give you my immense feeling of gratitude that you all enjoy this story and I normally don't take a paragraph of this to write a thank you to my reviewers, but thank you! **

**_To clear something up. _I know this is coming. "**Is Edward jealous of Alice and Jasper or is Alice jealous of Jasper and Esme?**" NO! That is not the jealousy. That will be explained in a later chapter or possibly the next one. Everyone is still IMMENSELY upset over Jasper and he is NOT getting away with this this easily, that I promise you. **

**Thank you again and again for your love and support! I am blushing at the reviews I've received from you lovely readers! Thank you!**

**Review.**


	3. Big Blue Sun by SpencerBell

_Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Twilight or Stephenie Meyer. This fanfiction was created for readers like you. Thank you._

"She should be awake today," Esme murmured to me as I was still standing stoic, leaning against the wall outside of the room. I had been like this for three days. The excuses Alice was coming up with to give to Charlie truly portrayed Charlie as a carefree and pretty horrible father.

A sleepover, a shopping day, a fight with Edward meaning another sleepover, Port Angeles trip… Charlie agreed to most of it after a little hesitation. But he saw Alice as a goddess; naturally she would seem to be a good person for Bella to be with rather than those uptight and snobbish…

"How long?" I questioned, knowing Alice must've been getting a headache after forcing herself to have so many visions over the past few days, from Bella's wellbeing to the extent of Charlie's suspicions and to me, if she was even thinking of me, which she shouldn't be.

Ever since I came home, I haven't set foot in that room, but merely stood outside for Alice's sake… for Edward's sake (although I knew he didn't want me near him)… and most of all, for Bella's sake. Alice would come out and speak to me briefly, asking for Carlisle to return or for various things that were at the top of her priority list. I felt her emanate no anger… merely sympathy and anguish at her friend's mortality being stripped from her by her own husband, and for her brother's pained look and expression.

"Three minutes."

"So soon?"

"Yes…" An awkward silence fell over us and I finally looked at her. He only person I had truly looked at since the attack. Esme half-heartedly smiled in my direction and I smirked in response, looking back at my feet stubbornly.

"Carlisle," my wife emerged from Edward's bedroom, looking around for our father, our adoptive father.

"Is it time, dear?"

"My vision—it's not… The future—it's fuzzy," she panicked and for the first time, I let go of the wall that was keeping me upright and put a hand on her shoulder, calming her. At first, anger flared beneath my hand and then she welcomed the serenity.

"What do you mean, it's 'fuzzy'?" I questioned calmly.

"I could see Bella waking up in five minutes and then… nothing… as if she was shut off from the world and…"

Everyone froze. Three things happened in that instance, Edward snarled, a shatter of glass echoed downstairs, and the foulest smell I had ever come across blinded me and suffocated me with dark amusement. Shape-shifters.

Edward emerged from his room and ripped my hands off Alice's shoulders, making eye contact with her. "Stay with Bella."

"Edward, I—"

"Now," he replied sternly. I normal circumstances, I'd take offense to the way he was speaking to my wife, but not now. "You," he glared in my direction. "With me."

Esme darted down the stairs in front of us and Edward walked behind me. The youngest Black snarled as I hit the bottom step and ground floor of the house. He knew what I had done… Well thank god someone understands it was my fault.

"The treaty has been broken, Cullen," Sam spoke evenly and brief with Carlisle. The rest of the pack was outside, all in their wolf form, hind legs raised and ready to pounce. Jacob Black and Sam Uley were the only ones who would speak for themselves and the pack.

"Naturally, you won't allow us an explanation," Carlisle was musing.

"I see your pack has grown in size…" Edward began, glancing toward Jacob, who seemed to be unstable, uneasy, and ready to…

"Thanks to your increase in population, we've naturally gained a few more," Sam answered. Jacob twitched, his shoulder shifting as he fought it back, he was glaring at me, no one else.

"And inexperienced, I can tell," Edward also commented, his tone nonchalant and oddly sarcastic compared to his heartbroken and torn aura.

"Once her heart stopped beating… God, I could kill you—" Jacob twitched and shifted more violently and Sam put a hand on his shoulder.

"Calm…" Sam eased and I didn't even bother releasing the strain myself. There was already an inevitable war going to erupt. There was no point in me easing the tension.

"Think again," Edward muttered in my direction. I looked toward him and he glanced toward me with a smirk in his eyes.

"The treaty…"

"Has been broken, yes, but more than once," Edward replied sternly. "If I recall, Jacob Black also let loose a tale of his species to Bella."

"That wasn't—" Jacob began infuriated and Edward glanced toward me again, I eased him out of his tension, slowing down his pulse rapidly, maybe too rapidly… He stumbled before Sam caught him. I earned another glare or meaningful glance from Jacob, which I ignored.

"Since we did not take action in bringing attention on that subject matter, I think we deserve—"

"What, like a free pass? No! NO! NO! Think of Charlie! His own daughter! He'll never see her again!" Jacob snarled and Sam clasped a hand on his shoulder.

"I do agree. Jacob's decision, no matter how naive is may've been, was completely different from Bella's mortality being stripped from her," Sam replied calmly.

"Yes, but Jacob's decision, no matter how ignorant it may've been, exposed not only your species, but our own. If we were looking for Bella to know more about us, we would've told her ourselves, not let her research the fragments of Quileute Legends that Jacob had already specified. And if I may also add, our plans were completely unintentional. If Jacob had kept his mouth sealed, then we would be gone or not in Isabella's life whatsoever," Edward amended.

"You murdered her."

"The treaty was not to bite and kill a human. The treaty did not state that we couldn't, perhaps, bite and transform a human…" Carlisle added.

"You killed her."

"Kill or no kill, you still stripped her mortality away and you still bit. You still broke the treaty and there is no loophole that you can find in the bonded seal that would make your case any less extreme than it already is," Sam replied, shushing Jacob. "You did in fact kill her. What is the definition of kill, doc? Her pulse has stopped beating."

"Ah yes, Sam, you are right, but there is no clear definition of life either. She is healthy as you and your pack are. She is healthier than she was when she first came to Forks, Washington and she's a hell of a lot safer," Carlisle pointed out.

Sam swallowed hard. "We're not asking for much, Carlisle. Merely that you abide by the rules set by you and our ancestors."

"So a war begins between the shape-shifters and vampires…" Rosalie snarled behind me. I didn't realize they were there and I glanced behind me to see Emmett and Rosalie standing protectively and anxiously behind me.

"Unless you'd consider the other two options…"

"Go on," Carlisle persisted.

"You move Forks, Washington and never return," there was a small pause and Edward's jaw locked. "Or you give us the leech whose venom now taints the girl's blood." Me…

"Ridiculous, Sam," Carlisle said aloud in flabbergasts.

"Your move, Cullen," Jacob snarled and Rosalie hissed. He glanced over at me and then back at her. "Relax, Blondie, he'll be safe."

Tension continued to creep into the room. It was so thick that you could slice it with a knife and it wouldn't dissipate. It was suffocating me, slowly and amusingly killing me. I had already stripped away an innocent girl's mortality. Now I was hoping my family would safe my own life? Was I crazy or…

"CARLISLE!" Alice shouted from upstairs. We all cringed at the magnified volume. Edward was gone before Carlisle reacted and then he was gone, too. Esme and I ran simultaneously with Emmett and Rosalie as Sam and Jacob trailed behind us at lagging speed.

No words needed to be exchanged. I tensed as I saw her blood red eyes begin to blink and wince. She tried to focus, but was having trouble.

"Bella—Bella, love, can you hear me?" Edward soothed and tried to pull her out of her trance. Jacob faked a gag and I turned in the blink of an eye.

"It's crowded enough," I muttered more to myself. "Esme, take everyone down to the living room… I'm afraid she'll be unstable." Edward glared in my direction. "I know you believe Bella is the strongest person, the strongest and bravest being in the world, and I don't doubt that. Her instincts are too overwhelming…"

Esme and Emmett managed to rid the room of Rosalie, Jacob, and Sam. They, too, left the room.

"Bella…" Edward began, watching her eyes dart around the ceiling. She caught sight of Edward's gaze and shuddered.

"Where… am I—" she seemed startled by her on melodic voice and immediately stopped making any sounds.

"Do you remember anything, Bella?" Carlisle questioned.

"Fire," was all she said, closing her eyes again as if the fluorescents pained her. I winced. The confusion, pain, anguishes, and even the normal Bella-embarrassment was flooding the room.

"Bella, how do you feel?" Alice pressed, holding my arm.

"My throat is on fire…" she whispered, frightened of her own voice.

"Perhaps we should take you hunting," Edward murmured. "Before anything else."

"Is it bearable?" Alice questioned.

"I… can manage, I just…" she blinked furiously at the light and opened her eyes wide.

She hesitated and began to sit up. Edward helped her and everything went still in the room. Do you think she's ready for that? Edward snarled in my direction. "What—" Immediately she froze, thinking she did something wrong, but her voice made her cringe again and she looked around, seeing Edward. He watched her intently, protectively.

He helped her stand and she looked at him anxiously. "I'm a—"

"Yes."

"Oh."

"Do you remember anything, Bella?" Alice questioned, behind Edward in a fraction of a second, leaving me to the side… alone to stand in anxiety and worry, tension and self-hatred.

"Just yelling and… a fire, I can't… Is that bad?" Bella questioned, not flinching as much. Her voice sounded as if every imperfection, every mumble, every off-pitch frequency had been smoothed out.

"I'm sure you'll remember sooner or later," Carlisle said on the other side of the room. As Bella looked at him, her back was still to me. I was left unnoticed.

"Can I…?" she questioned, motioning towards the mirror, her body shaken. She was the calmest newborn… Then again, she was plagued by love, not terror as she was awakened.

Edward her around the waist and looked toward the mirror right in front of me. I knew that she would see me in the reflection. I knew that the visions of me lunging, teeth sinking in, the memories would all flood back to her and yet my feet were planted firmly on the floorboards. Alice was also near her, on the other side. Carlisle was standing beside the full-length mirror. Bella closed her eyes when in front of it.

"Are you sure you want to…?" Edward began and Bella nodded.

"Just give me a human minute," she said with a smile. I watched her through the mirror and then her eyes opened. She gasped and pressed her fingertips against the mirror, and then she looked at her face. "I look—" then her eyes darted to mine staring back at her in the mirror. "You…" her tone was unreadable.

* * *

**Review. Like the new name or should I stick with _Untitled_****?**


	4. The Scientist by Coldplay

_Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Stephenie Meyer or the Twilight Saga in any way. This story is written for readers like you. Thank you._

"You…" her voice was hoarse, her throat dryer than mine. I tried frantically to decipher her emotions, but failed miserably.

"Jasper get out," Edward muttered under his breath.

"Let her sort out her emotions," I said, but I think I meant for me to have time to decipher her reaction.

"No, get out," he replied immediately and our gaze didn't break, Bella was staring at me through the mirror and I stared back. Edward's grip tightened on her body, bracing for her to have either a violent or emotional reaction to my presence. She opened her mouth to speak, but Edward glared back at me, "OUT!"

I disappeared within a second, out the window and toward the woods again, hearing Alice and Carlisle hesitate before either silently scolding him for that outburst or not thinking anything at all, but Bella's well being. Before I could get far, Alice was behind me.

"No more running," she protested, jumping in front of me, stopping short so I skid against the ivy covered ground. "Bella's in shock. She can't handle the fact that this happened so quickly. She wanted this, Jazz."

"Alice, I—"

"Don't start with the self-pity, because I don't want to hear it. Bella has wanted this since she discovered who we really were, who we all really are! It's a lot to take in! Every sense is quadrupled or more than the average human feature. She hasn't seen your scars," I flinched away from that and she put a hand on my shoulder. "She doesn't know where you've come from, she doesn't understand the reason behind them. I'm sure that was another reason behind her shock…"

"That's not what I'm talking about," I replied and Alice stopped short. "The Quileute's are already at our door. How are you going to get rid of Charlie? Renee? Phil? Even her friends at school are going to wonder where she is. My involvement in changing her is not the problem. I expect her to be horrified of me, I would be as well if I was put in her place, but Alice…" my voice trailed off and I hesitated.

"What? What could it possibly be that's upsetting you?" Alice asked, frustrated. "Your family isn't abandoning you, I'm not abandoning you! Charlie is easy to deal with; we say she caught the flu from Rosalie or me… We say she's contagious, we say the house is quarantined and eventually we leave. He'll tell the same story to Renee and Phil. Her friends at school will believe anything. The Quileutes will listen to reason. What else could possibly be wrong, Jasper?"

"I don't wish to upset you," I replied, looking away from her. "To worry you, that's not what I—"

"What you what?" she asked louder.

"What I want to do! I don't think anyone has thought of the big picture here, Alice!"

"And what is the big picture, Jasper? Enlighten me," she asked tapping her foot impatiently.

I tilted my chin up, watching her expression as I said two words that would make any vampire cower, "the Volturi."

Her face fell and I nodded. She glanced up at me and then to the left of me back toward the house.

"She's the most well-known girl in Forks. If she leaves without notice… If we pack up and leave and her father gets the police involved…"

"We're wanted," she finished in a daze.

"We bring attention to our coven, our family, the one rule against us," I elaborated.

I thought for a moment of how to get my family out of this mess. It was odd calling them my family when I had only joined them for Alice's sake, only loved them a fraction of how Alice loved them, only fit in a small niche that Alice created for me and now… Now, I was terrified of leaving them, of losing them, and of hurting them like I already had.

Perhaps I could give myself up to the werewolves just as Sam had suggested. Aro would come and look for me, but I would be gone… Still, he wouldn't travel all this way for an empty handed return to Volterra. On the other hand, I could catch them before they arrive in Forks or eve Seattle and I could negotiate my freedom versus my family's. I'd give myself up for my family's well being. Yes… yes! That could work!

"No," Alice muttered, her eyes closing as she shifted back to reality.

"What other choice do we have?" I asked desperately. "I'm not putting you in this kind of danger and I'm not sitting back and watching this panic erupt!"

"You're not leaving either!"

"It's not leaving the situation, it's protecting you! Protecting Carlisle and Esme, Rosalie and Emmett, Bella and Edward! Protecting our family, isn't that the point of us joining this coven?" I asked furiously. "A family to love and to protect, that's what you've always wanted and that is what I am providing for you, protecting for you!"

"We're not discussing this," Alice immediately answered and she began walking to the house.

"We're not discussing it because it is already done. The future is certain, is it not, love?" My small endearment was quick and harsh.

She stopped and hesitated before turning and looking at me with pained eyes, her emotions ripping a whole through my chest as I watched her gaze shift ahead and she darted back to the mansion.

I turned to walk the other way and started a small human-speed-sprint, which was the equivalent to my jog as I pondered the situation. I caught the scent of a human hiking ten feet away, but didn't even consider what the taste would be like. My instincts were shut down, my mind was jumbled, my chest ached, my body replayed that same atmosphere surrounding Alice just a moment ago.

I winced and tried to think of something else, but it never ended. The pain, the anguish, the loneliness, the helplessness, frustration… it made me twitch, made me fidget, wrack with guilt. I didn't mean to upset her, I meant to appease her in the only way I knew how; sacrificing myself for her family. I never felt worthy enough for her, I never will be worthy enough for her and yet somehow she chose me, but she also chose the admirable Cullen family.

I believed it would be best that she had the Cullens with her rather than me in this situation. I wouldn't be able to face Bella or Edward. Carlisle and Esme's concern for me sickened me. I was the killer here, not the victim! And Alice was convinced that this wasn't my fault. Well whose teeth sank into Bella's skin, huh?

I was sprinting now, over one hundred mph. The wolves that had been following me stopped at the Quileute border and I looked up as I noticed that I would soon be in Seattle. The night fell, the rain poured, but my legs kept moving. I kept running hoping that there was an answer to this, but my mind was too numb to sort the situation out.

Eventually I slowed to an alleyway across from a coffee shop and leaned against the brick wall of the building. I watched the scene erupt in front of me, trying to pick up emotions to settle out the anguish and guilt. Children laughed with their parents and splashed in the puddles. Adults buzzed by in cars, aggravated because of a bad day or lack of sunshine over the past month. Nothing helped.

I tried to imagine how Alice and Edward were coping with Bella's condition. She seemed so calm. How could a newborn be so utterly calm? Although she was completely serene around vampires as a human, maybe that was her ability… I wondered if Edward could decipher her thoughts now… If perhaps she had another ability.

I wondered how Carlisle and Esme were dealing with the Quileutes who were still residing in our living room, I think. Perhaps they were already packing their bags… Perhaps Alice was out looking for me… Perhaps Charlie had already notified police (this thought came to me as a police car zoomed). Perhaps the situation became worse.

Just as I turned to go back a hand gripped my shoulder. "Hello, Jasper."

* * *

**CLIFFHANGER! Review?**


	5. Mexican Standoff by Elbow

_Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Stephenie Meyer or the Twilight Saga. This was written for readers like you. Thank you. _

"Hello, Jasper." I recognized that voice anywhere.

I turned just as she smiled that gleaming threatening smile. "Maria," I said curtly. I turned to see my creator, her brunette curls protected from the rain with a black umbrella, her eyes just as black, her stature confident as always. Her smile was still threatening and my instincts were flaring. I forced back a snarl at the mention of her name.

"Wow, to see you again…" she muttered in disbelief taking a step forward. "Only in my wildest fantasies," she said with a glint of happiness and… greed in her eyes.

"Well, I'm afraid I have to cut this reunion short," I replied quickly. "I'm kind of tied up at the moment."

"And he leaves in fear of being faced with a few memories…" Maria muttered behind me as I began walking. "How's Alice, Jasper? Are you two still dwelling with that family?"

I hesitated, hating when she spoke my wife's name, especially after a minor fight that I had just had with her. She seemed to notice the tension and was at my back with a hand on my shoulder in less that a second. "Oh no, don't tell me you've broken up! Couldn't stick to the diet, huh?" she asked, her lips an inch from my ear.

I stiffened and she grinned, turning me around and grabbing my hands. "That was it, wasn't it? Now, don't take this the wrong way, but isn't Alice a psychic? Then why didn't she enlighten you to the fact that this strict animal diet just wasn't for you? Even I would've guessed that and I'm no psychic," Maria smiled and I pulled my hands out of her own.

"What're you doing here, Maria?" I asked, changing subjects. It was either that or I would have her follow me, and her following me home to Alice in order to apologize and patch things up within the family drama was not a good idea.

"Passing through and like I said, I knew you wouldn't last long. I was hoping to catch you at a vulnerability, which it seems I have succeeded," she said with a smile.

"This isn't what you think, I was merely on my way home when you arrived," I replied briefly. Everything was short and simple. I was forcing myself not to lash out at her. Who knows whom she brought, if anyone, and adding more drama to the already overflowing pot was not going to work in my favor.

"Why is it so hard to believe you?" she asked taking a step toward me. Naturally, I took a step back. I glanced behind her shoulder and saw a few humans stopping in the rain, watching us curiously, me soaking wet, Maria making threatening advances.

"Perhaps we should take this to another location," she said, turning to see the humans that I was staring at." She turned back to me and then grinned. "Or we can have a late dinner date… Catch up like old friends as we feast," she raised an eyebrow and I snarled in response. "Or not…"

"Not," I confirmed, disgusted by the thought. Perhaps that was all it took; Maria to offer me human blood and instead of denying her with morals, I denied her with disgust of joining her in such a natural and casually stated sport. Or maybe the thought of feasting on another human after nearly murdering a family member was what revolted me more…

"You're troubled," Maria noted.

"I'm—yes," I hesitated.

"And you won't tell me why," Maria guessed.

"Probably not," I muttered with a drawn out sigh.

"Overdramatic?" she questioned.

"Under," I corrected.

"Enlighten me."

I hesitated and she glanced behind her at the humans once again. "We'll move somewhere more secluded, yes?" I nodded absently and she smiled, walking ahead of me. Again, I followed with absent intentions into a forest with the one woman that I had planned to never see or hear from again.

* * *

I remembered only the last time that Maria had visited me… It was only two months into our stay with the Cullens and her unexpected presence was not what Alice and I wanted, especially for Alice to meet her that way. The people she brought weren't as welcoming either, separating all of us into couples except for Alice and I who were separated. I shuddered at the memory of it.

Now here I was confiding in my own enemy,

"I cannot believe Edward has fallen for a human," Maria smirked at the thought of it. "How romantic… I thought he was never going to find a mate after seeing how lonely and bitter he was."

"How was I so sure that you wouldn't understand the point of this?" I muttered to myself.

"Oh a few werewolves, boo hoo," Maria replied with a roll of her eyes.

I sighed for a second. "Do you remember when we moved into New Mexico, we had to backtrack as soon as the Volturi caught wind of our army and we destroyed over three-hundred of the newborns to cover the evidence?"

She nodded and looked confused. "She is the most well-known girl in this small town. Her father is the Chief of Police and hearing that his daughter is sleeping over her boyfriends house because of an illness is not encouraging whatsoever."

"So the police get involved, so what?"

"If the police get involved, that's drawing attention to us…" I trailed off letting her bring the pieces together.

"Oh?" she questioned and then connected the dots. "Oh…" she hesitated and I stopped walking through the trees, leaning against one and having stray droplets fall on my face as I closed my eyes, I slid down to the ground. Maria continued walking, pacing around me. It was odd that I was confiding in her as if she were an old friend, as if I was speaking to Peter or Charlotte or even Rosalie.

"Wait—" I opened my eyes and she was directly in front of me. "You're thinking of giving yourself up?" she sighed. "I know you and I know that the way you look at her—you'd do anything to protect—that's suicide," she spoke in fragmented sentences.

"Of course you would think that giving up my family is better than protecting them, right?"

"La tua cantante."

"What a waste."

"Your power is too much of an advantage to waste with a fire. Surely the Volturi would see that."

"Maybe that's what I want, anything but having my family put in danger." True, I didn't have the same connection with the Cullens that my wife had, but putting them in danger—putting these people who accepted me in danger was not what I wanted to do, not what was expected of me, and yet I left them in danger when I procrastinated my return while speaking with Maria.

"You've truly changed," Maria murmured. I could feel her disorientation.

"That's what's eating away at me," I muttered. "I'm afraid I haven't…"

* * *

**Sorry for the delay! School has been hell. Advanced Placement testing and four New York State Regents' this year! Life is hectic. Forgive me. Love? Hate? Review.**


	6. Goodbye Midnight by TheSpringStandards

_A/N: I am soooo sorry for not updating sooner! Seriously, I make cliffhangers for you guys... and myself. I knew what to write here, but a Miss. Writer's Block was knocking at my door with her lovely friends Mr. Flu and Ms. Finals. My parents taught me to never be rude to guests, to they stayed for a couple months... Ugh, sorry. _

_Special thanks to my new reviewers and followers! These reviews are sweet and I will definitely update quicker, I promise you that. I also have a new story on the rise, so get ready, that's coming soon with a co-writer by the name of Briana. Keep checking up on me and you won't be disappointed. _

_Once again, sorry for the wait, I hope I didn't bore you. Another thing! I believe Alice is a bit misconstrued in this chapter; a bit out of character. Forgive me, but put yourself in her shoes and try and make sense of her lack of "bubbles". _

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight nor do I own any of these characters. This was written for readers like you. THANK you.

* * *

_

Everything was occurring as background noise to me. I could not focus on one sound and identify its host. I wandered from outside to inside, ignoring the protests of those wolves behind me. How was Bella doing? As if I could focus upon my best friend when the words of my husband-runaway were finally processed.

_The Volturi_ how overdramatic… It couldn't happen like that. How they could catch wind of this so quickly. Then again, whom am I kidding? The most powerful of our covens in the history of our kind! I surely should not be so naïve in thinking that this was just a children's battle compared to what they have stopped in the past; battles, wars of territory, of armies, of power, and wars to destroy any bit of competition coming their way.

But if the Volturi had found out of Bella another way, wouldn't that have been worse? Say Bella was still human and something had gone wrong, something on a larger scale than James, and the Volturi had come to set this situation right… Would they not want Bella put to death for her acknowledgment? Or would they merely want her mortality stricken away from her just as Jasper had? She knew too much of our kind and they didn't know Bella, they didn't know where her loyalties are and if her sporadic human secret-keeping was set in stone. Had Jasper just saved the Volturi the trouble?

Ha! Was I really justifying this? If Jasper knew what I was thinking he would be gravely disappointed! To justify such a horrific and monstrous action was absurd! This was truly thought in sarcasm, of course. However, I am still haunted by his words. Here I am still mulling over the idea of the Volturi and thinking of excuses that they wouldn't even ask for, that they wouldn't listen to. Well, now I construe the question to your comprehension; would you rather be ripped apart by your own kind, your family victims of your own husband's lack of self-discipline, or have your husband take the blame for everything, no matter how little or how much his fault, and have him destroy himself for your freedom when there is no life without him in it? Or would you rather take option c, none of the above? Ah, yes… Yes of course.

"Alice, dear," Esme's voice sent my eyes blinking rapidly. I focused on where I was, getting my eyes out of their glazed over expression and noticed that I was standing in the doorway of where Bella resided with Carlisle and Edward. "Are you alright?" Such a question to ask when I was barely able to look at her without blinking hastily to focus! I merely stared for a moment or two before I heard the still-background-noise of those who were inside the door.

Something about Jasper, something about Bella's thirst, asking for Charlie—for Jacob, why Jacob was here, who knew, etc. Bella's curiosity was running away with her. Then silence for a moment as it seemed that Carlisle and Edward were probably having a silent conversation amongst them while Bella winced away at her reflection. I opened the door and Carlisle was immediately as my side. "The adolescents are getting restless," I said coldly, Bella taken aback as was my family by my brisk announcement of the shape shifters downstairs.

"We need to take Bella for a—" Edward began and I tilted my head to the side, silencing him with my thoughts. _Do you really think it is necessary that we curb her appetite while we are forced to deal with two fronts of a battle here? Carlisle has blood in the garage, I'll fetch it for you and you can put the damn blood in a sippy cup for all I care! This isn't the problem right now! Her thirst can wait!_ Edward, being my brother, understanding my anguish matched his own – if it not, then it was worse – I immediately left the room ignoring Bella's call from behind me.

I rushed past Rosalie and Emmett who were with the wolves in the living room. Rosalie was obviously self-centered, grossed out by the smell; Emmett was obviously not caring, looking at the bright side of things without a woe in the world. I fetched O Negative and AB Positive before returning upstairs and Bella tilted her head in confusion at my entrance. "How thoughtful," Carlisle praised my quick thinking and I merely laid the blood bags on the table for a response.

"Won't it be hard for her to wean off of human blood if the firs thing she ingests is—" Esme began.

Saving me from a possible outburst, Carlisle replied, "Esme, I'm afraid there is no appropriate time for Bella to hunt right now. We'll have to focus on her appetite at another time."

Edward nodded as well and seemed to recognize my edge, to which he prepared the blood for Bella to consume. Odd as it was, Bella still seemed squeamish from that of her human fears of blood. How ironic, a squeamish vampire! "And where is—" Edward cut off Bella's curiosity with a soothing hand and a quick, "there's no time for questions, I'm afraid. I'll explain everything when there is time." _Edward, I need to—_

Edward sent stern glance toward me and I shot one right back out of desperation. He wouldn't budge; he wouldn't leave her for even a second so that we could get out of her earshot range! The selfish bastard! There was no side of me that was bubbly, optimistic, or even remotely content. "Can you hear him?" I asked out loud, though I knew Edward didn't want to discuss anything that Bella would ask more questions about.

"No," he answered swiftly.

"Are you even trying?" I begged, both stern and desperate. Bella noted the conversation although Carlisle and Esme had begun talking her through this new meal and to not think of it, asking her questions of what she felt, what she recollected. "What's going on?" she asked, more curiosity.

"Surely you can get out of this rude pompous air and come back down to reality, sweet brother of mine!" I spat. "You heard exactly what I heard and yet you're thinking nothing of what is to come!" Bella began to question and I cut her off, "Yes, Jasper has taken Bella's mortality away, but be it her wish or that same alluring pull that you have when you are around Bella, she wanted this! She wanted this and she has it and now you may get off that high horse you are on and come back down to the level of the rest of us! No matter what you think right now, no matter WHAT is going on in that head of yours, you know you are equal – if not, below us! Damn it, Edward, I am lost right now!"

"Control yourself," Edward growled. I laughed aloud at that.

_That's what it is, jealousy,_ I realized. _Jealous because Jasper's venom is the venom that courses through your beloved's veins!_ I taunted. "Be it his or yours, how can you not see that she wanted this?"

Bella emerged from Carlisle and Esme's block and looked at us alarmed. "Someone is going to tell me WHAT is going on here!" she attempted at an order, but I bit my lip and glanced at Edward then at Bella.

"We have an inevitable death in our future and Jasper is trying to defy that with self-sacrifice," I admitted before Edward could stop me. Carlisle and Esme understood my anguish at once and before anyone could ask me anything, I was at the open window. "If you won't tell me where he is, then I'll gladly go find him myself. Perhaps, I'll join him."

* * *

I glanced behind me, my eyes tracing up the tree trunk and to the flutter of its branches that outstretched above our heads. The moon was already at its peak in the sky. "Full moon," I noted. He merely made an incoherent noise from his throat to acknowledge me. My eyes shot to his, mahogany or perhaps burgundy was a better color to describe his eyes. "There's always time for more change, Major," I grinned and he met my gaze.

"Fortunately you're right," I heard him say, leaning back against he tree, his foot resting upon its overgrown roots. "I have less than forty-eight hours before I find them. The Volturi never take that long now, do they?" he questioned. It was rhetorical of course. This was almost humane. It was as if I were seeing my friend for the first time in over forty or so years before he was shipped off to the military or facing a horrid disease. He chuckled without humor at my emotions twisting and turning.

"What?" I asked with a small smirk of my own.

"Before I—protect my family, you were the last person I thought I'd see. I wasn't hoping Alice would be with me," I tensed at the name of his mate. Yes, I still had feelings for this man, worse than feelings. This man was the only man who had ever made me _feel_ something. Shan't I be jealous? "I knew she wouldn't let me go and to say such words to her still kills me, but the fact that I'm here with the one person that I've resented ever following, the one person who made me the blood-thirsty monster that attacked that girl—"

"Compliments, compliments," I said with a proud smile.

"Truly, it's funny. You were the last per—being I thought I'd see before a time like this and now, well…" he trailed off, troubled.

"What now?" He looked up with an odd expression that I couldn't label any emotion to match. Was it excitement? Was it remorse? Was it spontaneity, hunger, contentment to end his life? He then smirked devilishly. Ah…

* * *

**Like? Hate? Review!**


	7. I Wasn't Prepared by Eisley

_A/N: I realize there were some discrepancies over the different point of views in my last chapter. Let me clarify: the beginning of the chapter was Alice's point of view and the end was Maria's point of view. I apologize, I meant to add a clarification in the actual chapter, but was not all there, to be honest._

_In other news, Happy Summer. Yes, school is finally over for oh HALE no. I had my last two NYS regents tests today; Math B and Spanish 3R. If you live in NYS or California, god bless you. Regents tests every year. Really, it's ridiculous. Finals are enough, New York and California. Cut the crap. I was literally sitting in the gym after finishing my test in 1hr and 45min - except I'm not allowed to leave until 2 hours have passed - and I thought about the Cullen kids in the gym with all those kids, finishing their tests in less than a half hour. How hard it must be for them! Then I realized that they were fictional characters and I should've probably studied more yesterday instead of downloading the Twilight logo font and the Edward Cullen handwriting font. Can you blame me? _

_So this is in Jasper's point of view. Enjoy. _

_Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the Twilight saga in any way. All rights go to Stephenie Meyer. _

* * *

I was not proud of what I had done, not at all. Don't kid yourself. Proud of destroying a human's life, especially when I had already destroyed another's along with my family... What was I thinking? Ha, good question, even I did not know the answer. I was with Maria, the one person who, besides Alice, made my life completely and utterly carefree. I could do what I want, when I want, how I want… that is, if I only had hours left before giving myself up. Why not destroy a town in the process? But I wasn't so naïve. Do you really think I would destroy a town with Maria and then expect pity from the Volturi when they passed through. No, my goal was to be as strong as possible, to give them a fight.

Do you think they would allow me to join them so easily? I had to prove myself, like I had to prove myself with Maria. I recalled when I had first awoken when I was changed. A small smirk was plastered on her lips when I rose to my feet. Dizziness was an understatement, but everything was so clear. Being dizzy was impossible with such senses. Admiration and hope lingered, I had felt extremely perceptible to emotions, that I perceived to be my own, but I was uneducated in my power at the time. She threw a hand over her shoulder to silence the snickers of those around her as I backed up. Still, her beauty was impeccable.

"Fight me," she had murmured barely above a whisper, but it sounded as if her voice were coming from right beside my ear.

"I beg your pardon…" Always the gentleman... Perhaps if I were brought up a different way, my talent wouldn't have been salvaged.

"Prove yourself, Major Whitlock," it almost sounded or… felt seductive. Then she lunged and, out of reflex, I darted away. Fight? Was this woman serious? Who was I? What was I? I was still in shock and instead of fighting; I just fought away from her lunges, darting away for my safety. You don't harm a lady, not with my upbringing. Soon, my upbringing became a blur and an animal just—took over inside of me. I lunged forward and she laughed darkly. "Yes, trust your instincts!" she called loudly and I backed up at the echo. Lunging again, she swept me off my feet with a quick dart across my path, but I immediately chased my prey and she laughed louder. Before I knew it, she was against a tree, my arm across her throat, pinning her wrist next to her head, my other hand held her arm against the bark.

She grinned and looked up at me. I immediately stepped back, ashamed of myself for indulging in such behavior with a lady. "Girls, I believe we've found a keeper," she announced proudly. "I knew I saw something in you," she cupped my chin in her hand, turning my head from the right to the left. "Thirsty, are you?" she questioned and I noticed the ache in my throat. I involuntarily nodded and she smiled, nodding. "Let us take you for a hunt, shall we, Major _Jasper_ Whitlock?"

I snapped out of my reverie as I absent-mindedly rubbed the scar on my neck. However smooth, the indentation was still there, perhaps it was only perceptible to me. While Maria was proud of my scars, Alice disregarded them, and I envied her for that. I envied my wife for a lot of various traits. Her optimism was something I envied so much that I stayed not a mere three feet more from her side to relish in her atmosphere. Perhaps that was what I fell in love with, the sheer happiness and hope that I had never felt before. I never thought of looks as importance in my human life or even after. Perhaps it was less of a priority now because of my ragged skin.

"You're reminiscing," Maria noted from ten or so feet away, smiling wide and dropping her latest prey. I nodded and shrugged, but she was by my side in an instant, her tongue running over her bloodstained teeth. Her hand went up and I froze; she lowered it. "I apologize," she said, taking a step back. "Perhaps I am reminiscing, too."

I nodded and my leg rested on the roots of the tree that had risen through the soil, ignoring my victim's pale – deceased revealed hand under its roots. I tried to remind myself that I needed this newfound strength, but through the middle of my reassurance, a voice crept from behind me. "Ah, see, Jane? Perhaps we won't have to talk to Carlisle so soon," Aro beamed as I turned around. He instinctively took a step back, moving Maria behind me for… protection?

"No need to get defensive, Jasper, we've come to talk about the situation at hand," Aro held his hands up in surrender and took a step forward. My century of warfare told me to take a step back at his advance, but I stood up, my head turned back at Maria for a moment, her face full of warning and – fear? – before looking back at Aro.

"May I excuse the lady present?" I questioned, almost finding this sickening that I used the term in an endearing way. Jane didn't seem to like that Maria was the only lady present and snarled, but Aro put a hand on her shoulder.

"Patience," he murmured. "Surely she won't want to stay, this may get ugly, I assume," he chuckled and I glanced at him for another word of approval. His nod allowed me to turn around and I looked at Maria.

"Leave," I whispered, but her eyes tightened. "Maria, for once, take my order."

"You are not going down alone," she murmured hastily.

"He won't be." My eyes shot over to Alice standing in the distance over Maria's shoulder. Maria seemed to realize the game was over, bowing her head silently and she was gone. Alice took her place. "Really, Jasper?" she, of course, disapproved.

"Alice, you shouldn't be here," I muttered pathetically.

"I shouldn't, but Maria should?" she narrowed her gaze and shook her head. "Sure, that makes perfect sense."

"Alice, it's not—"

"Sorry to break up the marriage counseling," Jane was in between us now, a dull ache already beginning to coat my body. I stepped back; blinded by the sudden discomfort she hit me with. "But e didn't come here to listen in on your problems."

"In fact," Aro said, taking a step forward. "I came to summarize your situation, give you options, etc." He seemed pleased with himself and smiled silently as he was immediately behind us, Jane behind him, though itching to make an advance. "Although I think starting at the beginning is dull, you know very well what happened and so have I," he raised his hands over each of our shoulders. "Let me just review your plans, your situation. It's been such a long journey, not to mention the anticipation of seeing my good friend, Carlisle, again."

He dove deep into our plans, our thoughts, and our situation. I fought against him, shifting to my plan of defending my family and Alice, rather than fighting for a spot in their coven. I focused on the future of me possibly dying to defend them, making that all right. I shifted to the wolf pack threatening my family or my death; an ultimatum that was easy for me to chose, but hard on my family. The pressure lifted and I noticed him deep in thought. I glanced to my right to see Alice's eyes wide, glazed over… A vision? I fought back my normal reaction of reaching out to her and focused on Aro's expression to her vision that he was still tuned into. "Ah, now we're getting somewhere," he finally said and Alice gasped as she shot out of her vision.

She looked at me in horror and I back in confusion. "You wouldn't," she muttered in disbelief.

"Wouldn't…" I began, but Aro was in front of me now, grinning.

"Fighting for honor?" Aro questioned. "We would never harm Alice, speaking of Alice… We would enjoy her company with us as well as Edward and perhaps his newborn mate. Jasper, you've given us another opportunity to recruit, how can we repay you?"

"Repay—me…?" Shock was an understatement.

"Why, yes! I mean, if they agree to join us, you are completely off the hook, however your dues with the Native American tribe are still yours to deal with," he announced nonchalantly.

Alice spoke up, "perhaps you didn't understand my vision." Aro glared in her direction and I tensed, grabbing her arm with a gentle squeeze of warning. "With all due respect, truly, but I think his action was out of… was to fight for your approval of his joining in replace of us."

Aro's eyes shot to mine and narrowed. "Proving yourself… hmm," he mused. "Well that changes things… Thank you, Alice, for your insight." Aro took a step back, opening his arms, but it was anything, but welcoming. He noticed my expression and straightened up. "You're right, perhaps Jane, here, is a better match for proof of your talents," he noted and before I could move, Jane was standing over me. I don't remember when my back hit the ground, my body twisting in it's own pain, convulsing and shaking from the utter pain that had crashed over me, maximized by my own prodigy.

She grinned in satisfaction, standing over me. My eyes caught a glimpse of Alice's face behind Aro's shoulder; horrified. I only felt a fraction of her in my atmosphere, Aro's pride in Jane, and the pain taking over every other feeling I may've had or felt surrounding me. Every image I caught a glimpse of was playing in front of me like an old broken filmstrip. Alice's face was still behind my closed eyes, fading in and out as I fought against this mind-controlling pain. No, no, I was not going down so easily.

In a small mixture fit of desperation and rage, I was livid. My anger bubbled over, seeping into the forefront of my body. Anger turned into revenge, turned my own pain into pain upon Jane. I stood up, easily, shifting my emotions to face the other way. In a burst of pain and ferocity, everything I felt in that split second exploded toward my enemy and she was not happy…

* * *

**Review?**


	8. Strong Enough by KinaGrannis

_A/N: Forgive me for taking longer than I hoped. At first, I wanted to write a filler and not make a decision in Jasper's future, but when it came down to it, it had to be done at some point and I went with my first instinct. Hopefully you approve. Keep reading. :) Also! Coffee Shop by Landon Pig came on my iTunes while I was writing this. That was the inspiration for his reminiscing. :)_

_Again, as I've said in the past; this story will not twist into a BellaxJasper love story. I only write canon because anything else is insulting to the author (my one exception; Jacob with Leah or anyone other than Renesmee, though JakexNess stories can be cute). I'm off track, there is no Renesmee in this story, therefore she should not be mentioned. _

_Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy this story as much as I do._

_Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Stephenie Meyer or the Twilight Series. I am a fan and wrote this for readers like you. Thank you.

* * *

_

It has been said and recalled by many humans that they seem to see red and black out in fights. That is exactly what happened to me. Nothing seemed to exist in that moment as if my eyes were permanently closed. I heard nothing except my accelerated unnecessary breathing. My mind, however, was reminiscing as it seemed to be doing much in the last hour or more – time seemed unimportant. It was odd what serene memory popped into the forefront of my memory…

It was raining; no pouring, and I had to take cover somewhere. I ducked around a few trees and made a silent note to myself to get an umbrella, annoyed that my last victim had one that I carelessly tossed over one shoulder. My eyes were dark enough so they wouldn't attract attention to any humans, so when I came upon a dimly lit diner, I took the chance – though I was utterly ravenous – to duck in there for cover. Now that I remember it, there was almost a magnetic pull coming from the diner as if that small human site held my destiny without purpose.

She was there in a second, expecting me naturally. "You've kept me waiting a long time," she said, her voice melodic and yet soothing. Her atmosphere was everything, but threatening, something I was completely aloof to before this moment. I was speechless for a moment, confused as hell, but I ducked my head – rain droplets falling from my hair.

"I'm sorry, ma'am."

"JASPER!" Well, that certainly shook me out of my trance in an instant. My eyes shot to hers, no longer warm and inviting, now filled with terror and self-hatred. I stood from my crouch only to be bombarded with the same pain that I had focused back on my opponent – she took great pride in my momentary lapse of weakness, though Alice was horrified. Her face flashed in front of me as I writhed and struggled to force the pain back.

"ENOUGH," Aro boomed. No… "Jane!" he ordered swiftly and she glared at me before loosening her hold, flitting to her master's side. It took me a minute – my mind a minute to realize that the pain had lifted. There was a dull ache covering my body and Jane seemed to feel the same, unless it was all coming from me. My ability to decipher those around me was knocked out of whack for a moment or two before I knew that Jane was, in fact, feeling the same discomfort.

"Well, Jasper," Aro spoke. Alice was at my side, kneeling beside me, helping me up frantically. Her eyes bore into mine and our silent conversation ensued.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine."

"You sick, twisted—"

My eyes shot to Aro as he continued, "I knew of your ability to not only read the emotions of others, but also to manipulate them, however I never thought Jane's ability could be manipulated so easily." Easily? Ha! "Yes, yes, your ability should not be wasted so casually." Jane stood behind him now.

"Maybe it's too soon to make decisions," she murmured and Aro looked behind at her with a swift look of disapproval.

"My brothers will not mind my decision-making, Jane," he said sternly. "You are willingly recruiting yourself, am I right?" Aro turned to me. I couldn't speak and he smiled, Alice's hand was gripping my arm so tightly that I was numb. "Surely Alice's presence would make you a happier man, am I wrong?"

Alice began to speak and I shook my head swiftly. Her heart ached; I could feel her discomfort, her heart—breaking. "Yes, Aro, I would—"

"A distraction," I amended. "She would be a distraction."

"No, I'm not—"

"Allow me to be her replacement," I was too quick for her to comprehend this. She was squeezing my arm, begging me to look at her, but I couldn't… "You've seen our memories, you've seen what a distraction I am to her visions, what a distraction she is to me. Surely one is enough in this circumstance."

Aro mulled this over for a moment and I slipped a bit of reassurance toward him, which he didn't seem to notice, but took well to. "Yes, well, I'd like to see if this Bella is a threat to—"

"They are leaving in the morning," I announced. "Carlisle and the others will disappear in the morning, Alice has seen that this won't go farther than a missing person ad on the back of a milk carton and a family of broken hearts. There will be no attention drawn to her and they will be leaving soon." This I made up on the spot, but the emotional hold I had on him allowed him to believe me.

"Well, then… everything is settled."

"May I speak to Alice privately before we depart?" I spoke swiftly in response to her tight hold and agonizing emotional aura. Aro waved a hand and nodded.

"Jasper, I am not leaving you," Alice spoke, her voice strained. "Let me go, too, please—" my lack of a response made her freeze. "We made a promise; you and I together, there is no other life for us. Even now, this wasn't your fault, Bella knows it, Edward knows it, everyone understands! If you'd only allow us to explain to him, you'd be off the hook." Again, nothing came to my mouth. I was afraid that a lie would be incredibly hard to tell when I was close to exploding with this agony.

"Alice, I'm not going to hurt your family anymore than I already have."

"Oh, Jazz, that is bullshit and you know it," Alice exploded. "Tell me this isn't real! Tell me Maria did this! Tell me this is just a vision that won't end..." She hesitated. "Or tell me the truth; you don't want me."

"Alice, I…" I froze and Maria's voice came to mind, _Brace yourself, Jasper Whitlock, this is the beginning of your eternity._ "I don't." My silent deadened heart was ripped from my chest, shredded to pieces, and burned in front of me. My wife, the reason for my existence, nodded her head once, blinked rapidly, toying with the engagement ring on her left hand, twisting and turning it; still, she didn't remove it. She looked over my shoulder as if to say a few words to Aro and Jane, but she decided against it. The pure agony radiating from her killed me and then she turned toward home without a glance back.

A hand was planted on my shoulder and I shuddered involuntarily. Aro's booming voice followed, soft and menacing, "Well, then… Welcome, Jasper Whitlock."

* * *

**-backs away nervously; Review?**


	9. Rooftops by MelissaMcClelland

_A/N: First and foremost, Bella and Jasper will not be intimate in this story whatsoever. Bella and Jasper will not be together romantically thus far or in the future. I don't want to disappoint those who have been asking by not addressing this. This author's note will be used as a, "Don't say I didn't warn you," at the end._

_Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Stephenie Meyer or the Twilight Saga in any way. This was written for viewers like you, thank you._

* * *

_Alice's Point of View_

Infuriated didn't begin to describe what was going on with my emotions right now. Humiliated, used, betrayed, empty… My brain couldn't process hatred however; my brain finally did process the fact that my legs were moving toward home. Why was I going back? My legs slowed on its familiar path, but unfamiliar involuntary journey. I froze for a fraction of a second and that's all it took. My legs gave way and I collapsed on the ground beneath a weeping willow – ironically. My chest heaved as if breathing was a necessity, but in this case it was as if I would explode without oxygen to my lungs.

My heart ached; there was an emptiness that shot me back decades before this. I had never felt this way, but this heartache was the emptiness that I had felt without him and now… Did he understand what he did? Could that bastard comprehend the shit that he put me through just to up and leave? A distraction?! A DISTRACTION! How could he even speak that way? Suddenly Rosalie's taunting when we had fought over a decade ago echoed in my head.

"I'm not the one with a man who makes you love him…" Maybe that is what he did. Maybe he altered my fixation on him when we met just to do this, but at what cost? What did he gain from this? I couldn't think of anything he could've received from faking a romance with me. No, it wasn't possible. He did love me. Was this for protection? To keep me here? Did he really mean it? He looked so confident in his decision and yet the heartbreak that I felt was absent from those mahogany eyes that I refused to look away from or forget.

My throat tightened, a drowning pit formed in my stomach. I couldn't live without him. My eyes burned and I groaned, frustrated that tears were impossible at this point. If only… That's all I longed for; Jasper and a few tears. No, I was leaving something out. That silent confession was lacking a certain emotion, a plan that I had unknowingly promised to when I had met that southern gentleman jackass; and that promise was simple, suicide. Without him, life isn't colorful, nothing it of substance, call me Juliet in this fiasco, but there is no other life for me.

If he didn't want me, I didn't want myself.

A vision shot to my eyes and I froze focusing in, going completely numb. They were looking for me. Bella, Edward, and Esme. Carlisle, Emmett, and Rosalie were preoccupied with the wolves. Just a picture frame of Bella, Edward, and Esme leaving the house in a swift leap from the window before the wolves could take notice, though that was inevitable.

Still, I couldn't move. My body was numb after the vision and I stared longingly, straight ahead, not focusing on any specific motion or scenery, just planning. My family wouldn't dare give into my wishes, I'd have to go elsewhere, but the only elsewhere is the Volturi and they are the cause of this. Surely if I went to them for my wish they would deny me of it and seeing Jasper again…

"Alice," a voice of relief spoke from somewhere around me. My eyes didn't stop its focus from daydream. I couldn't decipher who it was, nor did I care. I was shocked with myself that I didn't run before they could find me, knowing they would without caring. "Alice?" again, a voice that I didn't find appealing.

"What happened, Edward?" But Edward was quietly sifting through my memories that played on a loop, ones that I would never shake from my memory.

"It seems Jasper has left us," Edward spoke evenly.

"What?" Bella was confused; that wasn't the first time. Suddenly my best friend became more and more aggravating playing the dumb card constantly.

"Oh, Alice," Esme fell to my side, outstretching arms, inviting me in. I didn't stir. A simple hug was not going to make this all better. Something quick, a rip of a limb or two while Esme gets the fire ready, now that would—

"Alice, dear, everything will be all right," Esme's voice was quite tempting to believe and yet I couldn't bring myself to do that. I finally met eyes with my adoptive mother and my heart ached, my eyes burned, but no tears.

"Esme, for once," I murmured, my voice breaking. "I think you're wrong."

* * *

_Jasper's Point of View_

I just had to mentally shut myself off from emotions until I got over this feeble lovesick puppy-dog ache in my chest. I saved them; I saved her family, that's all I should be proud of. I could help this coven more than I could help the last. Could I handle this? Could I handle being so powerful in what I do? I had to pick and chose, had to set myself back in the mindset I had when I was with Maria. I couldn't become cocky; I had to be quietly powerful, charismatic, and attentive. If I posed a threat, I would be disposed of and never leave this alive, though I wasn't sure I'd be able to leave.

If I did leave, where would I go? To Maria, no doubt, never to Alice. She wouldn't forgive me or she would forgive me too easily that it would sicken me. How could I possibly face her without being utterly? Why was I thinking about this? No one leaves the Volturi; I gave myself up. I proved myself of being worthy enough to be apart of this coven, how could I possibly formulate an excuse to leave unless I did something wrong; but by that, I would be disposed of.

We ducked into the alleyway, down the masked drain and fluidly into the "Volturi Headquarters", so to speak. Glares weren't the only looks I received. I was competition, another being brought here for mere toy, but I could excel and get rid of the use of another. Jane kicked my heel and darted off ahead of me. "Keep up," she whispered as she passed and I picked up my pace, following easily.

Felix joined us on our walk, standing right beside Jane. "What is he doing here?"

"Drama in a small town in Washington," Jane amended.

"Ah, execution?" Felix asked readily. Jane shook her head annoyed.

"He decided to keep this one," she answered bitterly.

"Show Jasper his new room, will you, Jane?" Aro ordered quietly before slipping into another room, the door a crack open. Jane sighed and looked me once over in annoyance.

"We planned for four, you come back with one," Marcus muttered to Aro in the other room.

"The law claims him, the secret was exposed on his account, not on the others," Aro spoke quickly as I passed the room, following Jane, who was also eavesdropping. "To disturb Carlisle's family was out of the question, we are quite lucky we even managed to salvage this one."

"Emotion manipulator? Do we not have one of those already? How boring…" Caius spoke next.

"Dear, Caius, if you saw the match that our Jane and Jasper had, you would understand the complexity of his talent reaches far beyond making someone happy or sad," Aro amended. "He turned Jane's power over on her, nothing I've ever seen before…"

"Here," Jane's voice spoke next outside of my 'new room'. I sighed and nodded once. "They'll wish to see you soon, I'm sure. I'll be here to escort you." I took a step into the room, the walls, ceiling, floors were made of stone, and with each step I took marked a new sound that echoed in its emptiness. A vast, yet unnecessary bed laid cattycorner near the massive painting of the square just above our heads. A mahogany dresser was against the opposite wall along with an empty bookshelf. The door shut behind me and I sat at the very edge of the bed.

A pen and paper were immediately in my hands as I muddled through a letter I would never send.

_My darling Alice,_

_To lie to you the way I had was an incredible challenge. For you to believe that my existence was not created for you and only you is unfathomable. You are a clever being; you should understand that my words were to protect you, to leave you with those who love you rather than to trap you in an eternal hell that you shall never escape._

_Your destiny is set in stone; you shall stay with Carlisle and his family. You are incomplete without them and thereby empty. You will find happiness with them and I hope and pray that your love for me will end with time. For all that you've done for me, this is the least I could do for you. So long as you understand that your future does not belong with..._

"They wish to see you now," Jane opened my door, gave me another glance over and sighed. "I'll wait outside your door." She shut the door behind her and I looked back down at the letter.

_I am a distraction to you, my dear, never you a distraction to me. You have blessed my life with an atmosphere I never imagined possible. Ignore my ignorance and continue your journey._

_I will forever adore you,_

_Jasper_

* * *

_**A/N: Do you know Edward's handwriting font? That's what I used to write the letter and it made it so much more real. Those of you who have been saying, "This made me want to cry," well, I'm with you, but do you understand why I had to do this? The Volturi would not just pop in, say 'Oh, it's okay, Jasper, don't let it happen again,' and pop out. **_

_**Review?**_


	10. Yes Please by Muse

_A/N: I'm putting the author's note here because although you'll all skip it and go straight to the chapter, I'm afraid you will be too angry with me to read what I have to say at the bottom. Thank you all for reviewing, you are all wondrous! Especially those who have told me they understand why I must do this and it can't always be a happy ending. As you can see, I update more or in variation with how many reviews I receive. Even if they are story alerts/author alerts, I'll update quicker. More at the bottom._

_Disclaimer: None of this is mine, just the concept and drama. All characters and abilities of these characters are from the mind of Stephenie Meyer. Thank you.

* * *

_

"Don't speak unless you're spoken to," Jane mused, going over rules that only a child would need.

"Jane, I'm sure that I can—" I began, though I knew it was unnecessary. If given the order, I would be gone in a second and she would gladly take the reign.

"And don't say my name," she stood in front of the door and looked me over, her neck craning to look up at me. "God, for someone with so much military background you'd think you would have some kind of manners etched into that brain of yours." Before I could answer with a snide remark, she opened the door. "In," she ordered and I was already in just enough for her to follow after me and shut the door. Jane flew across the room to Aro's side like a feline companion, joining Renata at his other side, behind him, though unnecessary. I could already tell that there were more precautions now that I have arrived.

Demetri, Alec, and Chelsea stood on the opposite corner, but were oddly far from Marcus and Caius as if they didn't ask for protection or shunned it away, too convinced that I didn't pose any threat and perhaps convinced Aro with my ability that I was use of keeping – though that wasn't all false.

I remembered Carlisle talking of the Volturi and Maria had as well. Chelsea, I vaguely remember Carlisle discussing her, though he never brought up the Volturi. I had been in his study, marveling over his pictures. She can manipulate relationships… If only she could break the bond I felt chained to Alice and I. Relieve her pain and my own.

Demetri…. He was a tracker; the best, so Maria said. He could find anyone as soon as he recognized the tenor of his or her mind. Alec, Jane's brother… Alec could numb a victim; taste, touch, vision, hearing, everything… My mind silently took note not to speak to them unless spoken to. If I did leave, I wouldn't want them having any advantage.

Caius sat on the velvet-upholstered chair next to Aro, leaning over as if they just finished a chat. He straightened up and Marcus sighed, as lethargic as Caius, cupping his cheek in his hand and leaning his elbow against the armrest of the chair next to Caius. Aro stood next to Caius, farthest from Marcus, who looked the most adverse to my arrival—or my solo arrival.

"Jasper, is it?" Caius questioned and I bowed my head silently in respect. He sighed, bored – that much I could feel. "Alright, show us what the hell Aro saw in you." Jane took a step forward in a threatening stance. She looked back at Caius, Marcus, and Aro for a nod of approval and as soon as Caius sighed and waved his hand, the pain was focused on her.

"STOP!" Jane screamed, but I didn't, merely took a step forward, advancing only five inches in her direction as she closed her eyes and writhed in pain; the same pain that she tried to inflict on me. She struggled to gain control, sending me deeper in my focus as I narrowed my eyes. That's when I noticed something; when the stare lingered on her leg, she'd grip it in pain, her arm, she'd let it fall limp, her head and her body stiffened. Aro took note of this as the three brothers whom I longed to please, chatted casually, noting my every move.

"I thought you were bluffing, Aro, I did," Caius grumbled, intrigued by my third advance. Marcus sat up, clasping his hands together and watching me intently, the boredom left the room as soon as Caius waved his hand.

I fought with myself; the pain was horrible to watch and yet gave me so much pleasure to watch the power I held over her. While the innocent waves of lust I had playfully sent toward Alice when I felt even the slightest bit of boredom, this was exhilarating and… well, that frightened me.

"Do you notice his gaze, brothers?" Aro said proudly. "Where ere he stares, the pain is focused. Jasper, the heart," he commanded, making me smirk involuntarily. My gaze tore to her chest and she erupted in a thrilling and gut-wrenching, glass-breaking screech that tore through the casual conversation.

"Enough." And immediately my gaze and stance relaxed as I looked up at the Volturi, looking for approval. Silence erupted as Jane angrily stood up, fuming as she smacked Alec upside the head to regain the little dignity she had salvaged. Marcus, who hadn't spoke a word throughout this session, was the one to break the silence with a small, but resonating solo round of applause. I let out a breath.

Aro smiled proudly as well as Caius. "We'll obviously need him to switch his diet, immediately. The human blood will perhaps make this ability stronger," he continued, ceasing his claps and standing from his velvet throne. He looked at his brothers in annoyance of their silence.

"Yes, yes, of course," Aro and Caius muttered simultaneously. "I agree, completely."

Marcus stood and stepped down from his chair, circling around me. "But your heart is somewhere else," my eyes shut and I stiffened when he noted that. Right, he could foresee relationships. "No need to feel embarrassed." I was far from that. He certainly wasn't in tune to emotions. "Chelsea can fix that easily, now the bond may remain with the other since she isn't in reach of Chelsea's prodigy," he waved a hand over and my eyes opened wearily. I was going to have no connection to Alice anymore… Oh god, my love—my Alice… How can it be so simple?

This fact horrified me. When Chelsea was at Marcus' side, I flinched and Marcus chuckled. "You won't realize what you've lost," another wave of his hand and Alec stood by him, smiling in his being needed. The pain that ripped through me ceased as Alec received a nod from Marcus. My bones felt spongy and I felt extremely light-headed; I didn't know that was possible for a vampire to feel.

Chelsea circled me as Marcus took a step back and my breathing stopped all together. Her hand traced my shoulder, across my back to my other shoulder making me shudder, the numbing confusing me in the same instance. And then something I didn't expect; Chelsea began kneading the muscles in my back, smiling and murmuring what sounded like an incantation to my plugged hearing. "Do you feel it? She doesn't mean anything, she doesn't want you, she deserves better," I wasn't sure if this voice was my conscience or Chelsea.

"She'll move on, Jasper, take care of yourself, fend for yourself, and don't give into distractions so easily…" Chelsea gripped my upper arms, loosening her hold and just as Alec let go of his hold, Chelsea snapped my back toward her behind me, my shoulder blades grinding together. I felt a bit of me release as I closed my eyes tightly in discomfort. "That's all Alice is, a distraction…"

"What's her name?" this was Chelsea now. I opened my eyes as she let go of me and stepped back.

"Alice," I answered immediately.

"Perhaps I need a bit more time to coax this bond out of him," Chelsea said, not breaking eye contact with me. Marcus nodded, noting the strong bond we had. "Take it to his room, we're done here."

Chelsea nodded, but Aro stopped her. "Stay, Chelsea, this always intrigues me," he ordered. Marcus sighed and looked toward Caius. "Brothers, you may leave and enjoy the meal awaiting you in the next room, I'll be sure to join you with our new member as soon as this is over," Aro announced.

Caius looked toward Jane and Demetri who stood side-by-side in a moment, following their masters out. Chelsea was behind me again and Alec sent me in a numbing state once again. Aro circled us with Renata behind him, so close her arms were glued to his cloak. My eyes closed as I fought through what was happening to me. I felt the pattern, Chelsea would hit a new pressure point or a new nerve, cracking my back and releasing the gut-wrenching pain simultaneous with Alec relieving my numbness. Each thread of Alice and my relationship was being unwoven one stitch at a time.

"Her name, Jasper, her name," Chelsea would demand after each of these patterns. When I would answer correctly, it began again. Each time I hesitated longer as if trying to remember. The numbing threw my mind out of balance. I could lie right now and keep these ties at home. What was the use? I should suffer through the same pain and remembrance that Alice was suffering through now.

"Her name."

My mind was blank, a clean slate, as I shot to attention and was exhausted, not sure if that was exactly how I felt or if this was Alec's hold on me. "Something with an A—" I struggled to grasp her name. Who was I even speaking of? Had it not been only a moment ago that I uttered this name that she begged for? "Or was it an E…" My eyes shot open and my back was released, my stature slumped over and I lost my balance, collapsing in a pathetic heap on the stone cold ground. How could I be so utterly pathetic? This girl had this tight of a hold on me? Honestly, who had I become?

Aro smiled in approval, letting out a sigh of relief. "That was—exquisite, Chelsea, enthralling, truly." I slowly rose to my feet and Alice stepped back, the confusion being lifted from me without time to find a center of balance in my aura. My emotions were jumbled, oddly put back in order and I felt nothing; numb as if Alec still held me. There was no pain. "Let us get you a meal, shall we?" Aro grinned, presenting the door to me, holding it open. I stepped out, oddly thrilled by the gesture.

The emptiness left my chest vacant and hollow. Alec and Chelsea shared their praises amongst themselves as Aro walked with me to the next room. I found it odd that they mingled with their victims before attacking them. I suppose it was fun to seem human and keep the panic level as low as possible before everyone of the Volturi got their meal and there was certainly enough for everyone. As we shut the door, humans communicated quietly, glancing in our direction. Demetri and Jane stood by the empty fire place that led up to concrete, welcoming Chelsea and Alec, eyeing me warily. I was a threat; that much I knew. Marcus and Caius found their pleasure in two young women, one blonde, and one redhead. "Ah, Jasper," they waved me over. Again, I was sickly pleased by the attention.

"We've become acquainted with two lovely women," venom flooded my mouth. "Georgiana and Charlotte" he pointed to the blonde first, then the redhead. It was hard to keep my mind focused on their introductions.

"Gigi, actually," the blonde corrected in a thick accent, smiling flirtatiously. More venom flooded my mouth, to the point where I was swallowing it down. She eyed me curiously. "Are you alright? You look sick," she noted. Aro walked away as did Caius, leaving me with Marcus.

"Excuse him, ladies, he—" Marcus began.

"Hasn't been around such beauty," I amended. I knew the flattery game; you bring your victim close for a kiss on the neck or a suggestive whisper and then…

'Gigi', or more sophisticated Georgiana, giggled and blushed; the blood flooding to her cheeks had me itching forward. Marcus grinned in approval. "While you two get to know each other… Charlotte," he moved the redhead out of my way. The blonde's scent was intoxicating, sending me into frenzy.

"Well, Jasper," she began, smiling. "Are you single?" she questioned with a raise of her eyebrows. Right, this generation of woman was more forward, I had forgotten.

"Am I standing with anyone else, but you?" I questioned, leaning casually against the wall, taking in her scent with a deep breath. My hand brushed back her blonde locks, off her shoulder and she shuddered under my touch. I grinned, taking a step forward. She leaned in as I did, going to her neck, my nose skimming over the slopes of her skin as I heard and felt her blood pulse against her skin, speeding up the close I got. "Georgiana, was it?" I murmured in a whisper.

"G—Gi—Gigi," she struggled to gasp out and I smiled, laughing coolly against her skin as my lips met her ear.

"Well, Gigi, am I being too forward?" I muttered huskily.

"N—no, I… I don't—mi—mind."

"Are you sure?" I asked coolly. "You seem nervous and flustered," I noted, my lips brushing against her neck.

"No, I—" and then a dull 'ahh' escaped her lips as my teeth clenched hold of her neck. The blood felt amazing pulsing against my tongue as I greedily drained the young blonde. Simultaneous with my bite, the rest of the humans were disposed of, drunk from quickly and tossed as they all watched me in curiosity as I dropped the blonde at my feet, blood staining my teeth that I ran my tongue over to clean.

"Welcome, young Jasper."

* * *

**_A/N: I know, I know, WHAT ABOUT ALICE? YOU CAN'T DO THAT TO THEM! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, OH HALE NO!? OH HALE NO! THIS IS RIDIC! Well, on the bright side of this chapter, I have finally decided on an ending to this story. I had various ideas, but none seemed appropriate. As I was writing Chelsea's incantation/Jasper's conscience, it came to me and I wrote it on a Sticky Widget on my Mac Dashboard. I believe ALL of you reviewers and loyal followers will approve of the ending. I am 100% sure. or... 99.5% sure._**

**_... -hides- Review...?_**


	11. InfraRed by Placebo

_A/N: Again, I'm putting the author's note here for fear that you won't read it or for knowing that you won't read either. I wrote one chapter in Alice's Point of View to be this chapter, but I didn't like how it fit, so that will be posted at the end as an Outtake. I think there will be at least fifteen chapters in this, MAYBE more. Next chapter is already thought up, then another, then an epilogue and the outtake. _

_Special thanks to SnappleApple450, who truly flatters me more than I need. I am writing this not only for myself, but for you. You are an amazing reader and I enjoy that you enjoy my stories. :) Thank you, dearie._

_Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. -sigh-_

_

* * *

_

I was assigned to gathering the meal first. Being able to manipulate the emotions of those around me came in handy when gathering those to join us, our threatening appearances made them wary. I kept the panic level low in the room, even sent teasing waves of yearning toward our newest secretary, who only had days left according to Jane. Odd, we had just disposed of Gianna days ago.

And then my job changed when an influx of newborns came without their creator. In the UK and even Argentina, stretching around the world, there was a sharp drop in the human population. Their reasoning was swine influenza, but we knew better. After looking into it, newborns were captured, all from the same creator due to the same location of bite. All of them had a venom ring around their left shoulder. Not an inch or centimeter difference. So we took them in and they all resided in the west wing of the underground Volturi 'lair', so to speak.

I resided in the east wing, but hadn't set foot in my room except to put books that I had been skimming on my now full bookshelf. I stayed near the west wing at all times, being called upon often to manipulate those around me. I even practiced focusing pain on others. Jane would focus it on me and I'd intensify it on another victim. Of course on my own, I could never spark such pain, therefore Jane's relationship with me did not falter since I was focusing her pain on someone else and she focused it all on me.

I was used as a threat, but I was used often. I was needed. That was what I wanted. Chelsea eyed me every time I passed her in the halls, her and Afton. I didn't understand the lingering looks; they weren't of attraction, but curiosity and concern. Whatever she had done to me, however horrific it had been at the time, I felt none of it. All right, that wasn't all true, I felt a bit of emptiness, but the wallowing and lack of concentration ceased, making me stronger, making me needed more and more. I was able to prove my worth every day, more than once.

Still, the lingering stares continued to the point where my eyes shot to the floor every time she passed. Today was different, today she left her husband and linked arms with me on my way to the west wing, turning me around and walking in the opposite direction. "I—" was flustered…

"I was told to escort you the other way," Chelsea announced and I shrugged out of her hold.

"Just an hour ago, they told me to—" I began, but she shook her head.

"There was a change of plans, you're going with Afton and I to gain a new meal for this evening," she said excitedly. I nodded silently, following her to the end of the southern wing, where the elevator resided.

"Good evening, Mr. Whitlock," the secretary said politely. What was her name… A quick wave of disappointment flooded the girl and I sent her a rush of lust.

"Good evening," I replied as she knocked over forged paperwork, having them scatter across the floor. Afton chuckled and I went over to help her pick them up, in an instant I was up on my feet and handing them to her. She flushed a deep red, making my mouth water, but before I could let myself go…

Chelsea grabbed my arm and yanked me into the elevator, closing the door just as Aro was coming down the hall with a shorter female, but it wasn't Jane. Jane was in the west wing with victims… unless…

"Flattery will get you no where," she teased, rolling her eyes.

"Have you been taught nothing?" I quipped. She just chuckled in response and Afton wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pressing a kiss to her temple. "We'll split up," I planned. "Or I will…" Afton nodded, straightening up and becoming more serious while Chelsea smiled playfully.

"Fine, are we making a game out of this? Us against you, whoever brings in the most wins," Chelsea grinned and I turned to her with a bored expression, faking a yawn.

"Sure." The elevator doors opened and I stepped out swiftly, leaving them behind. I walked into a nearby winery, playing the scene perfectly. A young bachelor looking for wine for a party, I could feel the women around me double glancing at me, barking up the courage to approach me.

"Do you need any help, sir?" a thick accent behind a short young woman. Black hair, cropped… She looked so familiar, or at least certain features of her did. Still, the accent threw me off and I turned a wine bottle over in my hands.

"Are you a wine expert?" I asked with a charming smirk, raising one eyebrow.

"Not an expert, but I'm sure I could help you," she smiled with confidence.

"Sure, that's nice of you," I murmured and she smiled in response. "To help a stranger out, I mean," I finished.

"You don't sound like you're from around here, it's the least I could do…" she trailed off and began walking down another aisle of more wine and an assortment of alcohol. "What's the alcohol for anyway?" Ah, see I loved these forward women of the 21st century.

"A party," I answered casually, waiting for her to ask more and she mulled over the thought. I realized the girls she had been standing with were following us through the aisles, eavesdropping. I looked up, smirking at them and they all giggled, separating in embarrassment of being caught, but their confidence came back and the girl asked for more. "Just getting to know everyone in the area, friends of mine are gathering people together…"

"This wine would be good, casual," she amended. I smirked and grabbed the bottle, nodding and turning it over in one hand. "Just strangers are invited?" I nodded and her breath stopped for a second, her heartbeat fluttering. I grinned in satisfaction.

"Hey, since you helped me and really, I have nothing to give in return, why don't you come?" I asked casually, looking up.

Her heart skipped a beat and she stuttered out, "y—yeah, I—that'd be c—cool…" As I went to the counter to pay for the wine I had collected, she waved her hand, leaning back against the countertop and shook her head. "You don't have to pay for those, I got it."

"Why thank you," I nodded and tore off a piece of the label from a box of cheap wine beside me, writing down the 'address' of the place. As I handed it to her, I glanced to her friends and smirked, "bring your friends, too." They giggled in unison and I went to the door.

"Wait, what's your name?"

"Jasper, ma'am, and yours?"

"Grace." And I dipped my head with a southern 'nice to meet you' before I disappeared.

* * *

I won the bet, bringing a load of fifteen in, though I knew they were unnecessary. I found our new secretary; the girl I had spoken to in the wine shop. They sensed something peculiar about her and maybe it was just her name, but they would keep her after building up enough to not drain her completely. Then again, if nothing were different, they'd dispose of her quickly.

Eleven that night and I enjoyed my time mulling over a poker game with Alec and Demetri, whom I still barely spoke to. The room had been cleared just minutes ago. As I folded, knowing my hand was pathetic, Alec joked that I needed to learn a poker face. I rolled my eyes and stood up, bowing my head before leaving the room. Maybe I could finish reading, spend the night in the room I barely looked at anymore.

Still, what had Chelsea shielded me from this morning? My curiosity got the better of me and I too the longer way to my room, slowing down by the main great room whose doors were shut and locked. Jane stood in front of the door, guarding it, but when I slowed, she didn't stop me. I pointed to the door and mouthed, 'are they…' She just nodded and her arm brushed to the spot beside her, inviting me to join her.

"I'm not guarding, they review everyone's behavior, everyone's ability throughout the months. This is the third time this week, I thought it had something to do with me," she explained swiftly. "Everyone has the right to eavesdrop."

But I heard my name and was shocked she'd let me join in. Still, we had a malicious bond in our emotion manipulation. Perhaps it was from when I threw that sense of teamwork at her once in the past. I had only been here a week and a half, barely that. Still, I took the opportunity, but realized that she left once I stood next to her. I heard my name again.

It was Marcus. "We're not allowing Jasper to see her, Chelsea is right, he may've become unattached long-distance, but the bond is much deeper than that. Any contact and—"

"So we give into her wish? We waste a precious gift? I do believe Carlisle in this instance, if there is such a thing as a god and a soul; killing off such a precious gift is not giving us such good karma in the future. This could truly hurt our—"

"Our what, Aro? Relationship with Carlisle? Dear brother," he snarled. "I hate to break the news to you, but how do I put this delicately? Carlisle Cullen is not joining us again, nor will he see us every again," Marcus sighed and paused. "For now, he steer Jasper clear of the west wing. Jane and Alec can cover that or perhaps Chelsea can take over. Loyalty is all we need for them to feel to spill their—"

I stood up off the wall I was leaning against. Carlisle? What did he have to do with me? And who the hell was this girl they were talking about? It certainly wasn't Grace. I had seen her moments ago… Curiosity killed the cat, but was I going to wait until this was over?

I was already through the west wing before I thought anything more. Rooms lined with newborns snarling, killing each other off, fighting each other, crying out in agony echoed down the halls and I glanced at every door. One door was unlocked, but closed. The window had no glass, but three horizontal bars keeping the prisoner in. I saw Afton at the end of the hall with his back turned. He didn't see me come and was the one patrolling at this hour. Or maybe he was—

A shrill scream came from one of the rooms he entered. Ah yes, they were getting rid of newborns today. He worked swiftly, too concentrated to notice me taking my time by this door. I moved from across the hall, approaching it silently and glancing in.

A small figure sat hunched over on the bed, head in her hands. Her hair was cropped short, either dark brown or black. There was one candle on the desk, flickering ever so faintly. She gasped and looked up, staring at me blankly as if she were seeing something through me. My head told me to leave, but my deadened heart kept me glued to the floor.

She was under this trance for three minutes; I counted the seconds precisely. Her eyes blinked and she looked exhausted. Eyes black, piercing, entrancing… Another gasp, but now blank look followed. Recognition, happiness, remorse, self-hatred, anxiety, and any other crazed emotion flooded our stare. Her emotions were crisp, I could feel everything with such ease and decipher it in a fraction of a millisecond.

"Jasper," her perfect lips uttered. I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Who was this creature and she looked—so familiar…

"NO!" a yell broke me out of my stare as Afton turned me around and shook me. "Did we not tell you to stay OUT of the west wing?" he snarled.

"Jasper?" the creature spoke again, her voice innocent as she approached the window and Afton threw me across the hall.

"You were told not to speak to him, we'll come and get you when they finish mulling over your idiotic request." He turned to me with a glare.

"I was told not to come down here during the day," I said, shocked that the way he spoke to her pained me.

"Yes, well, they don't want you down here and we'll both get in a lot of trouble if they catch you down here, got it?" he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and guided me with false friendship out of the west wing, near the front desk where Grace sat with a grin. Afton spoke over her saying, "good night, Jasper," sighing heavily. "Chelsea was supposed to tell you."

"Who was that girl?" I murmured, distracted.

"No one," he answered too quickly.

"Well what is she here for?" I asked, hesitating on forcing it out of him, but I didn't.

"She's a suspect… she's begging for suicide, mad, I tell you and her clothes were all tattered, looked like she swam here from another continent. Really, she looked ghastly, still does," he rambled and I tightened my fists I response to his complaints over her appearance. "I should be getting back, just relax tonight."

I nodded absent-mindedly as I wandered back to my room, my head only flashing images of that girl in the dimly lit cell, looking utterly miserable, but that face—why was she so familiar?

* * *

**Did I utterly ruin this? I am _definitely _not proud of this chapter and I never post these, because I hate when people are modest or indecisive or whatever, but really, I am not proud. _If you have nothing to say about this crap: look up the song that this fic is titled after. Goodbye Midnight - The Spring Standards. A HAPPY SONG for a NOT SO HAPPY story. Again, there is no BellaxJasper romance to come. _**

**_... Sorry. ;) _**

**_The songs I listened to while writing this(in case you care): Combinations - Eisley, Small Lean - 100 Monkeys, Papercut - Linkin Park, Rooftops - Melissa McClelland, _****Strong Enough (hydroponikz Remix) - Kina Grannis, Yes Please - Muse, and My Never - Blue October.**

**Review&StayTuned.**


	12. Message From Your Heart by KinaGrannis

_Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Stephenie Meyer or the Twilight Saga whatsoever. The only idea that belongs to me in this story is the manipulation of New Moon's outcome.

* * *

_

I was pacing around my room, replaying the evening's events over and over in my head. Why was I prohibited from entering the west wing, especially from speaking to that girl; that young, innocent, sweet prisoner who looked as if she belonged anywhere, but a prison? Threatening? Ha! Like she could harm a fly. She was weak, her eyes were black, and she was frail and paler than all of us were. It seemed she hadn't fed in days or maybe weeks. Obviously she wasn't a threat, so why was I permitted to see the other prisoners, but not her?

Maybe she could harm me… I was mesmerized when our eyes met, our gaze locked for over a minute and by then all of my defenses were gone and let down. Perhaps that was her talent that Aro was explaining to Marcus; she could manipulate the focus of others. Ah, that all made sense now. It wasn't that she was an innocent girl, she could harm me, us, everyone and since Afton—but wait… Afton experienced no effect from her voice and gaze. And how did she know my name?

Coincidence, it had to be mere coincidence. Maybe that was another talent of hers, or she focused her talent on me, knowing I couldn't see her. Hmm, maybe she could permanently scar my prodigy… Then perhaps I—

Or maybe her talent was making me utterly paranoid! For the love of—Really! She was making me crazed! It was ridiculous. I needed to get a grip. My fingers ran along the worn bindings of the books lining my bookshelf as I skimmed the titles. They were all encyclopedias; I had enjoyed brushing up on the happenings of the mortal world and the myths of our kind. Some were comical and some were pathetic.

My fingers stopped on one binding that read, '_The Vampire: A Casebook'_, and I smirked a bit to myself. I had picked this one up out of sheer amusement when I left the lair with Jane to gather victims. I had strayed away from her and ducked into a nearby bookshop only to find that it was filled with myths and urban legends coated every aisle. This was the only one I had really cared to pick up. I never did look at it and Jane had entered my room just the other night without my knowing, emerging from the room laughing at how all of the books just collected dust now that I had prior engagements in the west wing.

Maybe this banishment was all I needed to drown myself in books, one of the encyclopedias was written by one of the former Volturi members, though the name was scratched off the front cover, the binding, and the inside; burned, charred, forgotten. My hand slid down to that book and as I slid it out, a piece of parchment fell to the floor.

I bent down to pick it up, the dry ink smudged and blotted on the edges. It had obviously been folded roughly before the ink had time to seep into the parchment, but it was… my handwriting. My eyes narrowed; I didn't remember writing this, much less folding it up and shoving it in my bookshelf. If I had wanted to get rid of it, I would've burned it or thrown it away or—

_My darling Alice,_

Everything flooded back to me in one hard impact. Alice… My Alice! WAS HERE! Begging for suicide! Mary Alice—Mary Alice Brandon Whitlock Cullen. My Alice! How did Carlisle let her leave? How did Chelsea's talent not affect her? That was why I wasn't allowed to go into the west wing; they didn't want me remembering her. My wife, my love, the reason for my existence!

I fell to the floor on my knees, sighing and cringing at how I had forgotten so easily. Chelsea had not only manipulated the remembrance of my connection to Alice, but to the Cullens as well; Edward, Bella, Rosalie, Emmett, Esme, Carlisle… It seemed like only yesterday had I felt that same heart-wrenching feeling that I was feeling now muddled with confusion and loss.

I remembered the instance where Chelsea had merely made the newborn we had interrogated more loyal to the Volturi rather than have him forget his other connections. Perhaps it was because of my ability to intensify the abilities of the others around me. Alec made my body stiff and completely unmovable, my joints rigid and unbreakable. Jane's pain was intensified by my focus and Chelsea's abilities were more profound when inflicted upon me.

Nothing could forever break the bond of Alice and I… Not even the Volturi…

I immediately stood up and my hand was on the doorknob before I realized what I was doing. The letter that I had never sent was clutched in my hand and I froze. Perhaps I could send Grace to give this to Alice, write something on the back, tell her to escape while she had the chance, but I knew Alice was too stubborn to leave without me. Maybe I could beg Chelsea to have her forget, but then again it hadn't worked on me for long.

The longer I stood there, the bigger the pro list of confronting her became. I thought of telling her of her lost cause, they wouldn't kill her, they would recruit her and it would be harder for us to cross paths. I would tell her of the life she should have with the Cullens and how she can either wallow here, begging for something she can't have like a child or do what she is asked and take the one time of escape she has left before leaving her.

I flew down the hall, dodging those around me, though the halls were clear. In a moment's time, I was in her cell and she looked up at me with distraught eyes, searching my gaze for reassurance, for reasoning, for me to tell her that everything I had said to her after Isabella Swan's birthday party was all a lie to protect her, like I'm sure the Cullens tried to tell her. My gaze turned soft, sorrowful, empty, pained, and distraught. Any plans to tell her to leave flew out the door and she threw herself in my open arms.

Her face buried itself at her eyelevel, into my chest, and my hand held her head there; my chin resting on top of her head, my arm around her waist, pulling her as close as possible, as she gripped at me, tugging at my shirt I disbelief and relief. "Oh God, Jasper," she whispered, her eyes glazed over with what she frustratingly begged for tears.

I sighed into her hair, my lips brushing the top of her head. My mouth opened and relished the scent of her, the scent I had missed and the scent that made me ache with emptiness for the duration of my stay. This was all I had been missing, this is what I need, what I've craved, what I've yearned for, what I've desired, and what Chelsea took away from me.

"Alice," my voice was hoarse, only then had I noticed the strain in my voice, the weakness that came with the close contact she gave me, but the contact I didn't deserve. "I'm not letting you do this to yourself," I murmured. "They're not giving into your pleas, they're giving you and ultimatum; time in here until you give into joining them," I murmured. "Suicide, Alice? Really? I can't even imagine it."

"That's what I want; to join! I'm not living without you," she said, her voice muffled by my chest and I lifted her chin up with my finger. "We made a promise, Jasper Whitlock, and I'm not breaking it," she said stubbornly.

"Alice, I'm not letting you stay here, this isn't what you want, this isn't the place for you," I continued to protest, but her fingers pressed against my lips silencing me.

"Jasper, I'm not letting you stay here alone, this isn't what you want either, this isn't the place for you alone; without me," she whispered, her fingers tracing my jaw line and the scars that followed.

My hand covered hers and I held it against my cheek brushing ours back and forth against the smooth and yet jagged skin. "I'm not letting you stay here."

"Then we'll both leave," she whispered, her thumb brushing my cheekbone before I let her hand fall and it rested against my chest as her cheek pressed against where my silenced heart thudded once. Her eyes closed and her lips turned up into the faintest of smiles.

"Find us a way, love," I whispered. "I'll keep them clear of your room and you keep your mind clear of everything else. Don't speak to Demetri, he tracks from the tone of your mind, more than one exchange and he'll have a grip on you. Find us a way out of here, Alice, and if you only find an escape for yourself, please, go. I'll find my own leave when the time is right."

She looked up at me, her hands never left my chest; my deadened heart thudded twice in response. She nodded once, her eyes searching mine before one hand lifted to brush a tuft of hair away from my temple lovingly.

I tightened the letter in my hand behind her back, turning it to dust with the pressure and I let it drop at our feet.

* * *

**Songs: _I Will Follow You Into the Dark by Death Cab for Cutie, This is How I Disappear by My Chemical Romance, Message from Your Heart by Kina Grannis, The Scientist by Coldplay, I Wasn't Prepared - Eisley_**

**Review? Next update at 85+ reviews**


	13. I Will Follow You Into the Dark by DCFC

_A/N: I told you I update faster when you all review more! I'm also re-titling each chapter! So you can even review on that if you're speechless... which I hope is a good thing..._

_Do you not want to know the songs I listen to while writing this, or would you rather them in the beginning so that you could make a quick playlist on YouTube? I Will Follow You Into the Dark - Kina Grannis cover [as you can see, I adore KG], Mexican Standoff - Elbow, What It Takes - Aerosmith, This is How I Disappear - My Chemical Romance, and a combination of others I've already listed in past chapters. I have a Goodbye Midnight playlist on my iTunes and I keep adding songs. Spencer Bell's memorial site is something I also brush up on once or twice before writing._

_Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with neither the Twilight Saga nor Stephenie Meyer in any way. This was written for readers like you. Thank you. [- PBS!]_

_

* * *

_

"You wanted to see me?" I questioned, taking a step forward into the main room where only Marcus sat perched on his velvet armchair. He nodded and waved a hand for me to come forward. I shut the door behind me and stood in front of him, bowing my head in respect.

"Yes, well—I thought it be best if we formally address that you are forbidden to enter the west wing," he said with a bored sigh.

"With all due respect, I know the reason, and I think I can help," I answered immediately going with the plan Alice and I had discussed. Marcus' eyes narrowed, waiting for me to continue. "Alice, sir, you want her to join, am I right? Obviously her talent is too great to waste and she doesn't want to join knowing that we no longer have the bond we had. Perhaps if I play the part a bit, she'll come quietly, otherwise, I think she won't go down without a tantrum."

Marcus mulled this over and I tasted the atmosphere. He was considering it, but had full faith in me. I had proven myself, he knew that all too well. I waited with baited breath for him to say anything to calm my nerves and instead, he turned his head to the side, calling Demetri to his aid. "Gather Caius and Aro, bring Jane and Chelsea as well. Leave Alec and Afton out of this," he ordered. Demetri was already out of the room and he turned to me. "You didn't think I'd be able to make a decision without them, did you?"

Suddenly I was nervous. I thought only Marcus would be here, he would wave it away as if nothing was different, as if it were just another task for me to perform, and Aro's mind-reading abilities wouldn't interfere, but now… If there was any sense of distrust in them, Aro would surely see right through me.

As they entered, Jane gave me a bone-chilling stare that Chelsea mirrored. Aro and Caius were already sitting beside Marcus, who opened his arms. "Please," he paused to motion for Demetri to close the door. "Explain to them your plan or should I say, proposition?" I inhaled and tried to relax myself, but nothing worked. Not even I could relax in this situation. If they knew I was lying that was the end for both Alice and I.

"The reason you are forbidding me from entering the west wing is Alice and I can sense that you want her to join as well," I paused for a nod or look of acknowledgement. When Aro nodded, I continued, "To get her to join would be easy if you'll let me speak to her."

"She was a distraction, you said so yourself," Caius snarled.

"I have no intentions of picking our relationship out of the past and bringing it to the present, master," showing respect may win them over. "I would merely play the part until she did agree and feel that joining would be the best way to see me. I'm not asking for—"

"Hold on," Aro raised a hand. "I did believe you, she is a distraction, Jasper, and I don't think it is best to bring someone to alter your loyalty to us."

"I'm not asking to see her, that is the last thing on my mind. Let me speak to her and once she joins us, I won't utter a word to her ever again." My head was racing with various other excuses I could muster up and Aro turned his head to Marcus and Caius as if to ask for him to move forward and see if I was…

"I don't see harm in this," Jane grumbled. Six pairs of eyes shot to her and she bowed her head. "Forgive me for voicing my opinion without permission," she looked up cautiously.

"Let Jane speak, she is here for the decision to be made," Aro nodded.

"I'm not fully aware of the bond he and the girl shared before coming here," the way she called Alice a girl when she was three or four inches shorter than my wife was comical. "But I've seen Jasper lately and his focus is here, not with the girl. There would be no harm in an addition and I think we should take any means necessary to attain her now." Jane had just defended me. Shock was an understatement.

Aro smiled thoughtfully and looked toward Chelsea as she bowed her head. "May I?" she questioned. Aro nodded once. He was making a vote, he was taking each opinion to heart and of course, it would all boil down to his brothers and himself, but it didn't seem that he was going to use his ability to decipher my real intentions.

"You all know of my power and how I can make bonds stronger or weaker, but I can never destroy them…" Was she— "I fear that one look or perhaps, something as little as a conversation with Alice would bring back his emotional ties and…"

"Not necessarily," Jane piped in. "My ability is intensified with Jasper's help and maybe yours are stronger."

"Insightful, Jane," Aro commented and I relaxed.

"Yes, well, there is still a possibility," Chelsea argued before silencing herself and Aro looked to his brothers.

"Thoughts?" he asked and Caius shrugged.

"Such a minor situation. There are worse things we are facing right now," he answered. "Besides, we have newborns coming in for questioning every day, more and more, we need the space for them." He looked to Marcus and Aro and then to me. "Then again, if either Alice doesn't join or she does and Jasper loses focus, then we'll dispose of him. He knows very well the consequences," he still spoke to them though his eyes were locked on mine. I nodded in response and Aro clapped happily.

"Well it's settled, you may enter the west wing, Jasper, and continue your interrogating along with winning little Alice over," I fought back a cringe.

"Thank you, sir," I answered and Aro waved his hands.

"Clear the room, there's nothing left here to discuss." And we all did clear the room. Chelsea brushed past me, Jane slowed and her smile looked like it pained her, but I gave a faint smile in response, thanking her for backing me up. Demetri wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"Maybe I should follow you down there, make sure she doesn't go anywhere," Demetri said with a grin.

This was our first exchange and I was still cautious of giving him anymore than he needed to get a sense of the tone of my mind.

"You're saying I can't handle it?" I asked, clearly annoyed, though I fought back a smirk as Caius growled his name to come to his aid. Demetri snarled and turned on his heels to go straight back to his master.

As I made my way down the hall, Grace smiled and stood up, greeting me. "Good morning, Mr. Whitlock, sir." I cringed and my head whipped over my shoulder to nod her way before I continued my journey to the west wing. Afton and Chelsea were conversing; he was the first to look over her shoulder to glance in my direction.

They knew, but the say they had was minor. Alice would, at least, get herself out of this mess. I would stay behind to face the fate I was prepared to take. They would kill me, as soon as they realized I gave Alice the chance to escape, the idea that she could escape, I would be gone before she could even consider coming back for me… And maybe—maybe that's what I wanted.

"Jasper," Afton greeted, he was following me.

"Afton, good morning," I answered politely.

"It is, isn't it?" he mused thoughtfully. "Where're you off to?"

"Chelsea hasn't told you?" I questioned, raising my eyebrows as I continued my way down the hall, not stopping for this meaningless and soon-to-be over conversation. When Afton shook his head, I sighed. "To persuade Alice to give into her offer and stop acting like a child," I answered smoothly.

"Hmm," disbelief was rolling off of him and I shot him a look, which he deciphered easily and nodded. "Well, when you're through, would you like to join Demetri and I hunt?" When he winked, I frowned, faking disappointment.

"I'm afraid I don't know how long this will take," I sighed. "Just yesterday you said it seemed like a lost cause, it may take some time, I'll see what I can do," I stopped in front of her door and Afton nodded, shrugging.

"You'll win this one over easily," he said confidently. "I'll see you later."

I opened the door and stepped inside, shutting it loudly. Alice was deeply submerged in a vision and I grunted, playing the part as I felt Afton still behind me, watching cautiously, curiously. "Wakey, wakey, love," I used the endearing nickname as an insult, not wanting to touch her in such a rough way, knowing that would be the appropriate welcome following my false annoyance.

When Alice's eyes shot open, she blinked furiously, looking around the room and sighing with relief. "Thank god, Ja—" Alice began and I shot a finger to my lips, hushing her. She looked over my shoulder, noticing Afton. "What're you doing here?" she grumbled. "I thought I was just a worthless distraction." I earned that, even if it was part of the act.

"Why won't you just see this opportunity for what it is; the Volturi find you worthy of staying alive! Suicide, Alice? Really? Were you that dependent on me?" I snarled.

Her bottom lip quivered and I sent her a wave of reassurance simultaneous with a wave of disinterest toward Afton, who slowly left. When he was out of earshot, I enveloped Alice in my arms, sitting beside her on the bed. She relaxed and buried her face in my chest. There was something off about her and I wasn't sure if it was what I had said earlier or more.

"What is it?" I asked softly and she shook her head furiously. "Did they hurt you?" she shook her head. "Is it what you saw?" she hesitated and I rubbed a soothing hand down her back; she relaxed easily. I lifted her chin up with two fingers. "What is it; what did you see?"

"A… way to get out, but—it's complicated," she sighed, knowing I didn't understand. "It's undecided, but the future is set in stone; we both get out of here and I don't think we can return to Carlisle and our family. I don't know when and if she takes too long deciding, they'll get suspicious."

"If who takes too long?" Nothing was making sense.

She looked up at me cautiously, searching my eyes for a sense of hope, for a sense of confidence. I sent her both of those desperate emotions and her eyes looked down as she laced her fingers with my own. "Maria."

* * *

**_Thank you for those who have reviewed, favorited, shared, passed on, etc. Keep reviewing! It gives me motivation to keep writing. I'm thinking like-- 88+ reviews until the next chapter. This is a cliff-hanger._**

**_So if you want to read more, don't just favorite, REVIEW!_**


	14. My Own Worst Enemy by Stereophonics

_A/N: Ninety five Reviews? You guys are awesome! I was completely stoked when I got to 90 and I come back to ninety five this morning! Sorry this took a little long, I was grounded and got my computer, iTouch, and phone taken away. So I was left utterly empty without any Microsoft Word. I wrote this on eight pieces of loose leaf paper with the television onto the Alternative Music channel. _

_Songs: MY OWN WORST ENEMY - Stereophonics, LOOK CLOSER - Set Your Goals, BLOOD ON MY HANDS - The Used, A TOWN CALLED HYPOCRISY - Lost Prophets, 1,000,000 - Nine Inch Nails, JUST BECAUSE - Jane's Addiction, UP TO NO GOOD - Rancid, and the movie: Panic Room. All of this I listened to while writing and editing. More author's note later..._

_Disclaimer: I do not own anything. I am a fan and wrote this with my own boredom. Shockingly, people like it. I am quite proud and flattered by the reviewers, but all characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.

* * *

_

"Maria?" Curiosity was an understatement. "Why would Maria—Alice?!"

She was submerged deep into another vision and I sat, as I had on many occasions, on my knees in front of her, waiting impatiently for word of what she had seen. As my hands squeezed her upper arms, easing her out of this dulled stage, she didn't come back after the full minute I allowed myself to give before I intervened.

"Alice, dear," I murmured. Nothing… Her aura was a blank slate as it always was in these situations.

Footsteps emerged from the empty hallway and – as much as it pained me to do so – I let go of Alice completely, allowing myself to dive into that façade of nonchalance and annoyance once again.

"A woman is here claiming she knows you," Jane was in the doorway, my back to her.

"Can this wait?" I asked, hoping she didn't recognize the strain in my voice or dismissed it as frustration.

"Hardly. Aro is waiting for you…" the silence burned me. How could I leave Alice when she was completely unresponsive and—

"I'll only be another thirty seconds…" when she didn't leave, like I had hoped, I turned around to glare at her.

"I was ordered to escort you. Don't shoot the messenger, jeez."

I tore my eyes away from Alice and forced myself to walk down the winding hallway into the room where Maria and Aro waited. My mind was focused on two things; one foot in front of the other, and Alice's lack of safety in there. I mentally took note of whom I saw in the hallway. No one was in the west wing, so no one would enter that room. No one would have the chance to hurt her in the time that I spent dealing with this problem.

"Good evening, Jasper," Grace said and I noticed Demetri approaching her. As I nodded toward her – the only thing I could do due to my distraction – Demetri told her of Caius wanting a word or two about her _future_ here. I shuddered, feeling guilt for choosing this path for this innocent girl.

"Ah, Jasper," Aro greeted me, taking his hand off of Maria's shoulder, when I stepped in the large hall to which I had become accustomed.

Marcus and Aro were standing—no, pacing, in a rhythmic pattern, circling around Maria, who looked oddly helpless in this situation. Being only three or four inched taller than Alice, she looked utterly tiny in this situation, though I knew all too well of the threat she could impose.

"You have quite the lady following. If I knew, perhaps I'd have second-guessed your joining us, hmm?" Aro said.

"I apologize," I answered reflexively. "I had just made progress on _the other one_, only to hear of a new situation."

"She says she can offer her superb military background on these influx of newborns. She had an inkling of where and who the creator may be. Their creator, as you know, is destroying villages, towns, full populations of people making it extremely difficult for anyone to live without attracting attention by these mortals."

I joined their pace around her, encircling my creator as if I were purchasing a new vehicle. It sickened me. I tried to focus my mind on the scene at hand; Maria was here – always being a leader and never a follower- for… military purposes? My mind was in overload and I forced myself to ignore the fears of my wife's safety, or lack thereof. Why was she doing this and how could Maria help us escape? Perhaps Alice was seeing that bit now…

Their rhythmic pacing ceased and I looked at Aro for word of what to do.

"Well, this would help us, wouldn't it?" he asked and I guessed it was rhetorical as he continued. "I mean, we've made little progress and whoever this creator was, he or she had no sense of who could hold significance."

"If I may," I interrupted; Aro nodded. "Maria has quite that talent entirely. She was, after all, the one who saw something in me, something worth keeping and would not allow anyone else to handle me, even when training." I paused as Aro was awaiting more.

"As for military background," I went on, "she has taught me everything I know and under watchful eye of her, we became a strong army… The strongest in Mexico at that time."

It hurt me to speak of this monster to highly, and yet she had been quite civil before I was whisked away to the Volturi, but she was also a key to either Alice, or Alice and I both getting out of here. Perhaps I would wait to find an underlying reason later on, but for now, I would work up this admiring façade for the sake of Alice's safety.

"Exactly the reason for my hesitation," Marcus said. "Her ties, like yours, are somewhere else, and I fear that she is far too powerful to keep." I nodded, in thought, before Maria finally let her silenced frustration bubble over and she spoke.

"May I plead my case?" I looked toward my masters, as did she. "I am in no way wanting to threaten your stance as the all powerful of our species, but I am here to merely enhance it. You must understand, Jasper and I were a phenomenal pair and up until his abandonment, every bit of land I wanted was handed to me on the finest silver platter courtesy of this man. It was an extremely smart move for you to take him while you could.

"Since his disappearance, my army has gone completely to waste. Most were destroyed amongst themselves, but the ones left, I disposed of myself. I am confident that I house a talent worth keeping around."

As we all processed her speech, she nonchalantly added, "and that secretary girl that you all wish to keep had nothing worth keeping." Confidence, something I had always felt around Maria, was a shock to me since my joining to Volturi.

Anxiety overcame me as I waited, watching the Volturi brothers have a silent conversation amongst them. Perhaps Maria's praise toward me was a way to give Alice a chance to escape. Certainly there was no way Alice would let up on her stubbornness. There was no way she would allow herself to see an escape for her alone…

"Well, Alice, certainly," Marcus's words shot me back to the situation at hand and I looked over toward them. Their gazes met mine as well. "Jasper, if you would, stop Caius from sparing Gr—ah, that—that girl, and ask little Alice if Maria's accusation is true. Is the girl worth saving or not?"

I flew out the door and found the frantic words for Caius to stop. His teeth were bared at the base of her neck and Demetri knew exactly what it was about. Caius snarled and dropped Grace, who shook with unexpected relief.

Next was Alice. Her gaze was still unfocused and I groaned in frustration, shaking her harshly by the shoulders. "ALICE!" I called.

"Lie," she muttered, her eyes still not in the present. "Tell them Grace will have an impeccable sense of smell."

"…Alice?"

"LISTEN TO ME!" she threw my arms off of her and grabbed my shoulders, shaking me. "They'll destroy Maria. It will be an event; they'll ask you to do the honors. After you take the first move, slip out. I'll be waiting for you." It was very vague, but the only plan we had. Her eyes shot back to normal before she closed them and slumped forward, exhausted. I lifted her chin with my hand. "Go, Jane is looking for you…"

My lips brushed across her forehead and temple before I obeyed, though it pained me to see her so exhausted and vulnerable. Jane was right down the hallway. "So?" she asked.

I didn't answer her until I stood before Marcus and Aro. "Well?" they were both impatient, but Maria's confidence gleamed in the grin she wore.

"I hate to inform you, but Alice had a vision of Grace's impeccable ability to track scents unlike anyone we've ever seen. She will aid Demetri in tracking," the lie rolled off my tongue and the faith that the Volturi brothers had in me grew simultaneous with Maria's grin falling.

"You vile, repulsive woman!" Aro growled. "What do you take us for?"

"Lying—" Maria growled. "HE'S A LIAR!"

"How dare—Afton, Alec, take her out of my sight. Oh we'll have great joy in destroying you, young one," Marcus sneered. Relief fell over me unlike anything I had felt before. Aro waved his hand and Alec and Afton pulled Maria out of the room by her arms.

"We'll dispose of her at daybreak. I'd enjoy seeing Grace's awakening…" Aro mused. "Jasper, do come, we'd love for you to get the first move at the woman who created you out of sheer luck." I nodded speechless, and then I was left in the large hall alone.

I heard the shrill cry of pain coming from our former secretary, the wine expert, who out of sheer luck – as I had been created according to Aro – was kept around for a prodigy she wouldn't have. This cry sent me back to that young mortal naïve little human in Forks, Washington; Isabella Swan, whom I will never see again.

You see, Alice and I aren't leaving quickly, we're disappearing and with my fib and the mess I left behind, they would come looking. To keep my family out of danger I would – I _would_ never see them again.

* * *

**_A/N: I don't know if I'll ever be able to explain this, but Alice's lack of response was because she was watching what was happening a minute before it happened. She was watching Maria enter the Volturi lair, she was watching Marcus and Aro come together, she was keeping herself utterly submerged to watch for any changes in their behavior. Her exhaustion is due to her lack of blood and the concentration she had to use to have a vision for that extended period of time._**

**_Also, some of you have been asking about the Cullens and I found it sort of difficult to add an update on them when the tension is so clearly somewhere else. You will hear of them soon either in passing or through the characters. I don't want to leave you hanging or update with pointless and inevitable tension. The Cullens do care that Jasper and now Alice, too, are missing, but they can't so anything. The Volturi aren't going to just give them up if they came willingly and the only ones who would be up for trade are Bella and Edward, and Edward won't let that happen. _**

**_WHEW! So please ask for more questions! I'll gladly answer them in a message or update it in the next chapter to make it more clear. I will not however, post a summary for fear of plagiarism. If you don't understand my story, ask me specific questions. Otherwise, read bits and pieces over or don't follow the story. I am very protective over this story and don't want to leak anything that can be used against it, not that that's possible, I don't think._**

**_-DEEEEEEEEP BREAAAATTTHHH!-_**

**_Review? Update at -gasp- 100+ reviews! And that will be a super long chapter, so... Review!_**


	15. Anthem of Our Dying Day by SongoftheYear

_Playlist: "A Sight to Behold" - Eisley, "Different" - Acceptance, "Anthem of Our Dying Day" - Story of the Year, "Like Blood Like Honey" - Holly Brook, "This is Home" - Switchfoot, "The Last Thing" - The Mitch Hansen Band, "The World Has It's Shine" - Cobra Starship, and "Ugly Girl" by 100 Monkeys kind of works too... :) So get your playlists ready, relax, sit back, and read! _

_Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the Twilight Saga._

_

* * *

_

"Daybreak," Alice said, her voice weak and barely audible. I nodded.

Her head was in my lap; I leaned by back against the wall, sitting on the bed in the room. I had come here as soon as the others took to their rooms for the night. Although sleep wasn't a necessity, privacy was. Besides, Maria was locked up in my room for the night seeing as there weren't enough rooms to match our imprisoned number. No one thought twice of where I would be; with Chelsea and Afton, or working on my latest project: getting Alice to join us—them.

"Daybreak," I echoed. I was silent for a moment. "How many hours?"

"It's not certain yet," she answered immediately. "Four or five, maybe six if Grace is that amusing to watch in pain." She shuddered.

"I didn't mean to—to chose this fate for her…"

"No one said you did."

"I knew the consequence of bringing her here."

"Jasper," she sat up, much to her struggle and my hands shot to steady her. "You did what was asked of you. I know you better than you know yourself, you didn't bring Grace here for her to be sent to a life of eternal servitude to these uncivilized, inhumane, sickening, vile, repulsive, loathsome—" I pressed my fingertips to her lips. "Sorry." I shrugged.

Silence fell between us and I sighed, my chin resting on the top of her head as she situated herself in my lap. How weak she was! I could barely look her in the eye without feeling completely guilty and yet when we had first met gazes and embraced, I was forgiven… so easily. She moved with such careful motion, as did I – so not to break her, though I knew that was improbable.

"When was the last time you hunted?" I asked. When she hesitated, I ran my hand from her shoulder, down her arm to lace my fingers with hers. "Alice…" I urged, squeezing her hand.

"A week before the birthday party with Emmett and Rose," she answered. "They weren't serving animals on the plane ride here, only people. I wasn't interested."

"You were dangerous," I noted.

"Quite," she agreed. "But blood remained with its rightful owner…" Her eyes met mine, but mine fell out of the gaze immediately. Her black eyes, the dark circles around them—the pain she had endured because of my leave and yet I shouldn't give myself such credit. "Such a shame," she knew exactly what was the matter. "I will miss your eyes…"

"Did I tell you how sorry I am?" she shook her head. "Tell me Edward told you of how I was just trying to protect you…" she shrugged and looked back down. "Love," I turned her head, forcing her to look at me. "To tell you that you meant nothing to me hurt me more than it hurt you. To see your face, to feel your sheer agony matching my own—Darling," I paused to cup her cheeks in my hands, searching for her gaze. "I adore you more than you can comprehend."

"What did they do to you?" she pushed a tuft of my hair from my temple, lovingly.

"To speak of such things to a lady," I sighed, shaking my head.

"Cut the crap, I've heard worse… Hell, I've been through worse, being with you now—I know the guilt trip is rough; it's rough on me too. Who do you think saw you attack Bella a second before it happened? I could've stopped it!"

"No, this isn't your fault at all, this is mine. I attacked Bella, I caused attention to our family, I—"

"Stop the listing, stop the blame game," Alice fell, exhausted, against my chest. I tightened my hold around her. "I love you, too," she answered my soon-to-be apology.

"Never as much…"

"More than you'll know."

A faint smile played at my lips and I closed my eyes. "Whatever happened to Bella… did Charlie—what about…"

"Bella's fine. She told Charlie she was moving out, moving in with Edward, that he'd get a wedding invitation."

It didn't surprise me, I kind of guessed that they'd use Bella's eighteenth birthday as a way of getting out of this mess. She could legally emancipate herself and her father knew that all too well. Sure it was heartbreaking for the both of them, but I'm pretty sure Bella wouldn't mind getting what she wanted earlier than she thought. She had just asked for this and—

Am I justifying my malicious actions? Am I still dwelling on this topic?

I heard her gasp and I sat up, keeping her steady as her eyes fell out of focus. "What is it?" I asked, my lips at her ear.

"She's making quite the noise in your room. Someone will be coming to get you in thirty seconds," she fell back against me and I shot up, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "The drain, alright? The south wing."

I nodded once and she fixed a glare on her face as did I. "You're being ridiculous, Alice, can't you use this as an opportunity to—" Demetri cleared his throat and I turned around. "Oh… Is it time already?" I asked and he nodded. "Hmm, alright then…"

"_You_ get the first shot at her head," Demetri said, feeling bitter about it. "The first time in a while for us all to jump in on this and the _newbie_ gets his share first." He rolled his eyes. I slammed the door behind me, following Demetri down the hall, careful not to speak my mind. Alec and Jane joined us in our pace.

"Grace is recovering nicely," I noted.

"So I've heard," Alec answered.

"Wouldn't mind teaming up with her," Demetri added, his suggestive innuendo was nauseating.

I opened the door to the other hall in which we usually kept our human feast parties, seeing Afton pull Maria to the center of the room, directly in front of me. Alec grabbed her other arm, holding her still. She glared at me, the same glare I remembered too well. My own creator was getting me out of this mess. It was eating away at me and giving me great pleasure that out of all the acts I had committed since being with the Volturi, I could rid my species of one red herring.

Aro, Marcus, and Caius weren't here yet, however, so that must wait. "You're doing this for Alice, aren't you?" she sneered.

I guffawed. "Alice? Really? If you haven't noticed, this women thing is overrated for me."

"You know what I can do. You've said it yourself."

"Lying to the Volturi is not a way to join. Besides, the begging and pity-angle doesn't work for you, dear Maria," I growled.

"If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have the strength to defend yourself here. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have met Alice and those precious Cullens. If it weren't for me—"

"If it weren't for you, I'd be under a gravestone right now." Alec, Demetri, Jane, and Afton all chuckled. "If it weren't for me, those sick newborns would've disposed of you a long time ago."

She was silent, so I added a, "you're welcome," earning more chuckles.

"Ah, a fresh execution in the morning. How exhilarating!" Aro beamed as he entered the room with his brothers. I leaned back into a crouch, slipping deeper into it as they fell to their places. "We find it best that you take the first move, Jasper. Although she has wasted her time on your behalf, she was the one who created you and if I had the chance to—well," he cleared his throat. "Carry on."

Everything happened in slow motion as it had when Jane and I had dove into a battle for worth in the woods. I saw red, crouching back as Maria glare at me, a smirk on her face. Only then did I realize she didn't think I had the nerve to do it, which I wouldn't on normal terms. Three things were urging me forward.

Reason One; my wife in the other room, perhaps already at the southern end of this underground masterpiece, waiting for me to slip out. Reason Two; I was ordered to by the supreme beings of my species. Had it been Demetri or Alec telling me to rip Maria limb from limb, I wouldn't. Finally, Reason Three; she had put me through utter hell and yet I owed it to her to do this. Not that she owed me, no! By creating me, she brought me to Alice, no matter how many decades I had to wait for that rainy day in Philadelphia in 1948. I owed her this escape from the Volturi. I knew she would be killed off eventually; she wouldn't be able to obey the rules of the Volturi even if her life was on the line. As if she had the restraint! Ha!

So, as twisted as it sounded, I was saving Maria from her own inevitable demise.

"What're you waiting for? Do it, now!" Maria yelled and I grinned.

"Gladly." I pounced, her head tearing from her body. A scream shattered the glass vases on the mantle of the cemented fireplace. The stone floors and walls shook with the new sound. As I threw the head, everyone moved in around her. I knew how much time I had, very little. Frantically, I looked around the room, spreading ferocity and anger to everyone in the group as I slipped out the door. I flew down to the southern end were Alice waited, barely standing upright.

"How're we—" I began and she put her fingers to my lips.

"Grand theft auto," she said, grinning before disappearing up the drain, to which I followed. A yellow Porsche was sitting, gleaming in the sunlight, waiting for us. She sat in the driver's seat and I slipped in the passenger seat. We were already out of the square, surpassing everyone. She handed me gloves and sunglasses, having hers already on. "Put them on, the sun won't disappear for another five hours."

I obeyed, sliding on the expensive leather gloves, turning to her with my eyebrow raised. "The Volturi have a room filled with the clothes of their victims. That's how they get their designer labels." She shuddered. I knew she didn't relish the thought of stealing clothes from the human victims of the Volturi, but we had to in this circumstance. My hand found hers and my thumb traced soothing patterns on the top of her hand.

"Fascinating, Alice, even in utter chaos, you find the most ostentatious car in Italy." She grinned shakily and I calmed her. "Do you want me to drive?"

Honestly, I didn't know why I was so calm. I knew we had time before they noticed my absence and they probably wouldn't go after me until Grace woke up – to aid Demetri in the hunt – without that sense of smell that I spoke of. We had a full twenty-four hours at most.

"No, I'm fine."

"What can I do?" She handed me a phone.

"Call them. Tell them we're fine, we can't go back like I planned, they'll be looking for us in fifteen hours. We're going to have to go south, maybe Australia—maybe Antarctica?" As I dialed the number she put her hand over the phone. "Don't tell them where, just that we're safe."

I nodded, keeping her calm all the while. Dialing the number, I waited for someone to pick up. Someone, anyone…

"Alice?" A hopeful Esme spoke.

"Esme."

"Jasper! Oh my—what're you—is Alice—"

"I have thirty seconds to explain, please—" she stopped and I continued, "We've left Volterra, we got out safely, but we can't come back like Alice planned. They're going to start the search in fifteen hours or so, do you understand? You have to leave too; Forks, Washington is the first place they are going to look. At least have Edward and Bella leave, they'll take whoever they can as of now. Leave Forks, Esme, do you hear me?"

She hesitated before choking out, "yes…"

"I'm sorry," I managed.

"Destroy it, Jazz," Alice said quickly.

"What?"

"Now! They're tracking their house number—"

The phone was already gone, destroyed, crushed and thrown out the window in the bits and pieces that was left of it. I grabbed the steering wheel as Alice's eyes stared blankly ahead, keeping the car in a steady line. "What?"

"They didn't get to it fast enough—" she hesitated and winced.

"What else, Alice?" I asked and she shook her head, gripping the steering wheel. "Tell me."

* * *

_Edward's Point of View._

I knew this wasn't my fault, I was well aware and yet I had the chance to keep Alice here. I had the chance to keep Alice in Forks, to keep her 'alive' and to keep her with those she loved. I knew Jasper said those things for her protection because if given the same situation, I would've said the same to Bella.

Speaking of Bella, she was—extraordinary. There was no bloodlust, just a dull ache whenever a human would come close. She had almost attacked on, due to my lack of concentration, while hunting. Two humans were in the wrong place at the wrong time, but she continued to allow herself to refrain from becoming a victim of bloodlust. In a way, I was glad Jasper had left. He wouldn't have been able to handle her strength so easily.

Still, I didn't feel as if she were mine—the venom that replaced her blood, the venom she used to kill her prey was not my venom, but a mixture of newly developed based off of my brother's. Yes, this is what Bella wanted; to be with me for eternity, and I wanted the same thing, however I didn't have it my way.

Marriage was an option of how I might've bribed her into buying herself more time at this human life, but now—from her parents' rocky past, I wasn't sure if she'd allow it so easily. She may react like Emmett had; eternity was eternity. _That_ was worth more than a piece of paper, wasn't it?

Rosalie was shallow as ever and yet happy in a way. Bella wasn't given the choice and neither was she, neither was I, neither were any of us, but did we complain? We all found solace in this eternal hell or dreamed of us having a life after this, a soul in our animalistic and masochistic killing machine bodies.

Emmett was proud and yet—upset. Bella was stronger than him until her human blood passed and he was not at all pleased. Having strength as his real ability amongst the rest of us, he was pretty bummed that clumsy Bella was a bit stronger. Carlisle and Esme were—parents. They were distraught over Alice and Jasper's disappearance, but happy for Bella's introduction to the family.

Bella was—less than understanding or maybe more was the word. She understood that Jasper needed to go and she understood Alice's pull to him all too well to the point where there was no sympathy at all. She was an emotional blank slate and the fact that I couldn't read her mind even now was frustrating as ever. As Esme would sob and Carlisle would console her, Bella would act nonchalant. It killed me.

Her best friend, her sister, _our_ sister was GONE! Gone! _GONE_! And for what? For Jasper, for her soul mate, for a man who may be completely brainwashed when she finally gets there only to join the Volturi and never see him again!

We couldn't go after her. Not only would she act faster, but also I know the Volturi would want to take both Bella and I in with them or use us as an exchange. Bella wouldn't be able to handle this. All she had seen of our kind were our vegetarian coven and the nomadic vampires who had tried to murder her, nothing as brutal and cutthroat as the Volturi.

I did find that sitting alone in the house, sitting in the study, brushing up on the Volturi, or just thinking about what could be going on, what they could possibly do to my siblings was the worst thing to do. I would kill for Jasper's ability to calm this guilt-ridden house. All of the 'could've's and 'should've's are slowly killing me. I forced myself to focus on Bella's mind that I could never crack the code.

Emmett and Rosalie were off hunting with Carlisle. Bella, Esme, and I had just got back. Esme was in the other room, debating to pack away the items left in Alice and Jasper's bedroom. She brought a few boxes, but they were left empty, Esme sat at the edge of the bed, just staring at the empty cardboard, her mind full of agony.

Bella's arms wrapped around my neck; I stood at the end of the stairway. I pressed my lips against her arm and she smiled. "Relax."

"If it were so easy…"

"I wish I had some kind of calming—" I hushed her with my fingertips. Recognition came to her face and she nodded. "Right," she mouthed. Talking of Jasper or Alice was out of the question. Even saying his or her names or talking of calm or any emotion for that matter, set everyone off.

Bella ran a hand down my arm and laced her fingers with mine. "Come on," she pulled me out of the house. "Fresh air—that house is completely filled with memories of them. That can't be helping anyone."

As we wandered into the woods, stumbling over branches and overturned trees, I let my mind leave its close watch on Esme's. Bella held my hand, letting me lead the way; the walk lasted not too long before I realized we were at Esme's cottage.

"What's that?" Bella asked, pulling me along with her like a child pulling their parent to a candy or toy store.

"Esme's cottage—She fixes it up from time to time… It was abandoned when we got here. It's a nice little escape," I paused. "They used to come here a lot, whenever there was a tough day at school or in town." It was true, Jasper used to find refuge away from the sympathy of our family after an unbearable day at school.

"Don't—" I shot my hand out as hers went to the doorknob. "I just—it's… hard." Bella nodded and stepped back.

"Let's go back, then…"

I shook my head and pulled Bella off to our meadow. We deserved some sort of break from this. On our way back with wild flowers in Bella's hair and clenched between her palms, I heard the end of Esme's phone call. "They called," I told Bella and we were immediately at Esme's side.

"Call Carlisle—not on this phone, on another one."

"What's going on?" Bella asked and I hushed her.

"A payphone, anything. We're leaving Forks, got it? Have them come home _now_. We can't go to Denali; they'll look there. They're tracking us already. Go, now!" Esme's frantic voice ended and she disappeared. I heard the rustling of suitcases and our things being pushed about.

"Help Esme pack. Grab your things. Don't stop to talk to anyone, do you hear me? Grab your things from Charlie's and just go. Don't take your truck, we won't be needing it," I ordered Bella and she nodded after each point. I pressed a kiss to the top of her head and disappeared.

Running through the trees I tried to sort everything out in my head. The Volturi were tracking us to find them. They escaped! They survived! We may be able to see them again, if not in the eyes of humans, that didn't matter, but we could have our family rejoined. The strength that I should've held for my family during this Dark Age came through now. I felt hope as if I never had before.

I walked casually out of the woods and strolled up to the pay phone. No one noticed, no one stopped. I dialed the number, spoke too quickly for any bystanders to comprehend of eavesdrop, hung up the phone and disappeared in the blink of an eye. Carlisle was on his way and we had less than fourteen hours to leave Forks, Washington, but that didn't matter.

Alice and Jasper were together; they were alive and together and we could have a family again, that is—if we'd ever find them again.

I walked into the house to Esme cutting the phone lines, crushing cell phones and disposing of any Internet we may've had. "We're leaving the piano, any big things, dressers, beds, anything, leave here. Where's Bella?"

"Charlie's."

I threw white sheets over the furniture she listed. "Throw all of Rosalie and Emmett's things in these suitcases and throw them in his Jeep. Take the Mercedes for Carlisle and my luggage and put yours and Bella's in the Volvo."

"We're splitting up?" Bella was back with her suitcase in hand.

Perhaps a big happy together family was not in our future as I had thought… Suddenly all the hope I had disappeared… We wouldn't see them again, would we?

* * *

**_A/N: The end was a bit rushed. Congrats to all of you for giving me over 100 Reviews after only thirty minutes of me posting chapter fourteen. Thank you so much! You guys are amazing! I am celebrating with like 4,100+ chapter. To celebrate further..._**

**_SPECIAL THANKS TO: SnappleApple450, aw-vampwolf-lover-17, masenej, ren-san [for being reviewer #100!], LJ Summers, and Robin D. for always saying, "good chapter.. :):)"_**

**_All of you are amazing. Thank you for putting up with my sporadic updates and awful cliffhangers and complimenting me when I don't feel like I deserve it. I'm glad some of you enjoy the playlists I keep putting up. I'm glad you all think I give Jasper's Point of View some justice and shine the light on his crazed mind. Thank you, thank you, thank you! _**

**_Review! Keep it going! Next update at 110+ Reviews! :D_**


	16. Lack of Color by DeathCabforCutie

_A/N: Sorry for the delay! With school in a little over two weeks, I'm rushing to finish summer reading and such as well as my birthday party which is on the 22nd (today) at 1 to Sunday and then my cousin's birthday is Sunday so I'm seeing them. Really, right now was the only time I had to write. For those of you asking what's up with Bella in the last chapter; I'm not a fan of Bella, but I hope this chapter helps you understand that there are different steps of grieving and that it doesn't mirror her grieving over Edward in New Moon. _

_Playlist: A LOT OF EISLEY AND IRON&WINE!! Telescope Eyes, Go Away, Many Funerals, A Sight to Behold, Head Against the Sky all by Eisley, Chopin Mashup, High&Dry - Radiohead, Lack of Color - Death Cab for Cutie, Pieces - RED, Let Go - Frou Frou, Naked as We Came, Love and Some Verses, Into My Arms all by Iron and Wine. Enjoy._

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything. :) It's all Stephenie Meyer. The twist is my doing._

_

* * *

_

She was pacing again, back and forth, her shoes clopping against the ceramic floor of the room. We had gotten a small room at a quaint inn for the time being. Alice had had something to drink and had regained her composure, while I tried to plan where we would go next.

From Volterra we went to Cortina, but I thought our best bet was to keep going north, having changed my original theory of going south. Alice thought we should journey south, like I had in the beginning, but we both wanted the same thing; to find a hideaway, somewhere deserted. We just couldn't agree where that would be.

Back and forth, my eyes followed her every move. I watched her stop mid stride, sigh in frustration, and continue the pattern again. She was focusing too hard and she knew it. Visions didn't come easy to her when she focused like this. She wouldn't let me help, wouldn't let me speak and wouldn't let me relax her so that she could maybe see something, anything… and I was finally done waiting.

"Stay here," I stood up, walking to the door, but she beat me to it, locking the door as if that would stop me.

"Where are you going?"

"Shouldn't you know that?"

"You're not certain, besides I have things on my mind…" her foot tapped impatiently and I took her hand off the doorknob, bringing her hand to my lips, and brushing them across her knuckles.

"I'll be back," I assured her before she nodded once and I disappeared.

I fled down the stairs and went straight to the front desk, asking for the valet to bring the car around. The yellow Porsche, no matter how attached Alice was, had to go. They could be tracking it now. I knew Alice's taste for fast cars and knew that stealing a crimson Ferrari would quench her thirst for the time being. I had seen one on our journey in and felt Alice's distraction turn to marvel at the perfection of that vehicle.

But we weren't focused on cars now were we? As I tipped the valet and slid into the Porsche, sliding on my sepia tinted sunglasses and leather gloves that covered every patch of skin from the sunlight, I turned the key in the ignition and revved the engine before speeding off. Pulling over on the side of the road after I had traveled fifteen miles or so, tearing off both license plates and crushing them to the point where they were unreadable.

All of this was done without so much as a thought. Seconds and minutes went by as I disposed of the evidence and pushed the car beneath the undergrowth by the vacant street, my mind wandered. How was I to find a way out of this? We would have to leave by the morning; the Volturi had enough time to catch up to us by then.

I walked into a bar where the red Ferrari was parked out front, going straight to the owner of the vehicle as my mind continued to wander. I ordered a drink past him and commented on his car.

"Nice car."

"Nice? Ha!" I sat in the stool beside him and he smirked, rolling his eyes.

I wondered if the Cullens had left yet and if they hadn't, where the Volturi had gone. It would take all of them to split up to find each pair of us…

"Just had a Porsche myself," I said and he raised his eyebrows, looking me over.

"You play?" he asked, holding up a pack of cards. When I nodded, he dealt the pack for a game of Rummy, then a game of War, and one final game of Poker since I had been purposefully losing.

"I win, I get your Porsche." Had I mentioned that I continued to buy him drinks throughout this event? The drunker he became, the easier it was to haggle with him. "You win, you get the Ferrari."

When I nodded and he dealt the cards, I dove into the game, winning after only three or four turns, moving too fast for his human eyes to catch, especially since they were now delayed. Thunder boomed and lightening broke through the sky when I cheated my way through to a losing hand and he had a winner.

Grinning like a fool, the drunken man, whose name I still hadn't caught on to knowing, followed me outside in the rain. I brought him behind the bar and slowed his pulse until he collapsed forward. I caught him easily and stole the keys from his jacket pocket, taking his cell phone as well. Laying him under the overhang and out of the rain, I slid into that sleek red car and sped back toward the inn.

"Put Jenks on the line," I said into the receiver when I had dialed my skilled forger's number. When he spoke, I cut him off swiftly. "Two birth certificates, two passports, and two identification cards under the names of Mr. and Mrs. Abbey, ages twenty-three and twenty-one, you got that?"

"Going Irish, are we, Mister Jasper?"

I smirked and slowed to a stop at the streetlight. "I want it shipped to 153rd St. Andrew's Street, all right?"

"Yes, sir."

The phone had a dial tone before I dialed the inn's number, asking for the connection to the Brandon room. "Hello?"

"Check out immediately. I'm in front waiting for you." As I hung up the phone, I crushed it in my fist and tossed it out of the window. I circled the block once, twice, three times before Alice was outside with a man to help her with her bags. When she got in the car and the man shut the trunk, I sped off without tipping him and Alice went silent. Only then did I realize that she had a vision.

"Ireland?"

"Good, I thought you lost them for a moment there," I said with a smile taking her hand in mine.

"I can see where we're going, but not who we're going to see…" Alice was suspicious and was toying with my hand. "Who (i)are(/i) we going to see?"

"That doesn't matter right now," I assured her. "Jenks has our paperwork waiting."

She nodded and fell silent, still toying with the wedding band on my finger. I looked over at her once with an eyebrow raised. "I miss the Porsche…"

It was amazing that we could still find some hope and humor in a serious situation like this…

"Alice, you're not getting anywhere when you focus that hard," I said with a groan. "It's killing me."

She shifted away from me, tossing the notepad out the window and sighing at the lack of progress she had been making. I sent her a wave of relaxation and for once, she allowed it; leaning back into the black leather upholstered seats, she sighed and let my talent take hold of her.

I put my hand out and she took hold of it, squeezing it for some sort of extra support. My fingers laced with hers and I then allowed her to focus on playing with my hand and the different ways our fingers laced together. "Dare I ask where you got the car?"

"I sort of enjoy this lack of visions, it helps," I answered immediately.

"Jasper…"

"A man was generous enough to haggle with me for the Porsche I left on the side of the road," I said. "He's fine, out of the rain, out of plain sight…"

She seemed to take that answer and then slowly got curious. "Jasper, if we're getting the passports when we're already in Ireland then how will we—"

"I knew you'd catch up on that. How will we get on the flight without passports?" she nodded and I cringed. "We won't be flying."

She took a minute or less to process this and leaned back into the chair, sighing heavily. "Oh," was all she said.

And suddenly, her body went rigid and a vision came to her. I brushed some hair out of her face and squeezed her hand tighter, waiting for her to come out of this façade. She did after a few minutes, a layer of agony ripped through my serene hold on her and I bit the inside of my cheek, the agony effecting me double time.

"What is it?"

"Rosalie and Emmett—I can't even begin to…" she stopped, choking on the unnecessary oxygen, struggling to breath, struggling to think, and struggling to speak.

"Shh, shh, relax," I soothed, forcing more serenity to wrack her petite frame. "Are they all right?"

She hesitated, gripping my hand, crushing it between both of her palms. "They all split up and Rosalie can't—handle the stress." My deadened heart plummeted.

"Is she all right?" No answer… "Alice! Is Rosalie—"

She was deep within another vision and as soon as she was submerged, she was released from the depths of another future. This time the agony was harder to suppress. "It's just—flashes… like photographs from the present or maybe only a minute or two in the future."

"How can you tell?" I asked.

"I just—feel it… It was Carlisle and Esme; Esme is crying, Carlisle is trying to console her and drive at the same time. It was the same with Rosalie."

"Crying?" I asked, incredulous.

She nodded, "that's what was so weird… "

Out of the decades we had been with the Cullens, Rosalie had always been one to hide her emotions from the outside. I knew what she felt, but never why. Any upset and I'd shoo it away to her shopping plans falling through.

"Nothing with Edward and…" my voice trailed off, I hadn't spoken of her name much, and if I had at all, it felt wrong.

"No, nothing—I mean, something tells me it's the same situation as we're in, Carlisle and Esme, and Rosalie and Emmett are in as well."

Yes, mates consoling their significant others. Our car ride mirrored them all. I wasn't surprised; in fact, I expected it. Why wouldn't all of us be in the same situation? We all had to flee, we all had to keep each other safe. As I imagined my family, split up, but in the same situation as Alice and I placed us in, Alice became rigid again. The gasp, which fell from her lips as her eyes glazed over, was a name; "_Bella_."

* * *

_Edward's Point of View_

Reaching a hand out, I placed it on her knee. "Bella?" She hadn't spoke one word since we left. I didn't know what she was thinking nor could I get an answer. Her eyes were glued out the passenger seat window.

She had sunglasses over her crimson newborn eyes, gloves over her exposed skin, as we made our way north toward Vancouver. I feared that sun would pop up anywhere and since we didn't have our weather-forecast sister with us, I was forced to listen in on the radio or the minds of others as I passed them on the street.

I don't think I've even looked at her since we left the house. I haven't made eye contact with her since I forced her to look in my eyes when I ordered her to get her things from Charlie, to leave her truck, and to leave town.

Still, her pain was palpable. I knew it would hit her. Not only had her best friend left, but she was thrown into immortality without a choice, and she left her father behind without a reasonable explanation.

"Is this what you would do?" she asked, breaking the silence. Her voice was plagued with torture rather than its musical interlude. "When someone would have an—accident, would you leave like this?"

I hesitated before answering, "they weren't the same situations as—yes." I sighed, feeling uncomfortable. She gave no response with emotion, just glancing down at my hand on her knee, squeezing it gently to coax her out of this misery. I glanced back at her, but her eyes were focused out at the scenery passing the car in a blur.

I waited minutes, then an hour, and then an hour and a half… I didn't speak, she didn't speak; we sat there with my hand on her knee and her gaze elsewhere as mine focused absentmindedly on the road.

"What're you thinking?" I asked, glancing her way.

"A lot of things," she answered, short and abrupt.

"Such as—" but she didn't answer, she just stiffened in her seat before relaxing and continuing her stare out the window.

The next time she spoke was when we crossed the border to Canada. We had gotten through security and then it was time to speed off to Vancouver where we could break for gas again and get a room to sort things out… As I pulled into a gas station and got out of the car to pump the gas, I noticed that she shifted her position, inclining her head toward the seat that I left vacant.

I filled the tank, and sat back in the car, but was in pure agony at what I saw. Bella, sunglasses on her head, eyes red as if she were able to cry without the possible tear ducts that humans had, the silver crescent on the side of her neck illuminated with the same one on her arm from James. The streetlights flickered and thunder boomed outside of the car before it began to downpour. Six words fell from those perfect lips that made my deadened heart ache.

"They're not coming back, _are they_?"

* * *

**Update may not come until September. Keep reviewing! I'm thinking of doing a BlogTV show if my webcam fixes, but nonetheless, I'll post a time and date on my page as soon as possible. If the webcam doesn't work, I'll just chat in the chatroom on the side and we can discuss any questions you may have! **

**Thank you, loyal readers! I hope you enjoyed. **


	17. Karma Police by Radiohead

_Playlist: Last Words, Follow the Light - Travis. Don't Panic, Sparks, Shiver, Spies, High Speed, Everything's Not Lost - Coldplay. Echo - Incubus. Telescope Eyes - Eisley. How to Be Dead - Snow Patrol. _

_Disclaimer: I own nothing except the twist I added to a story written by Stephenie Meyer.

* * *

_

After reaching Ireland without a human way of transportation because of our lack of identification, Alice had darted ahead of me, _dazzling_ a man into allowing her to "borrow" his Porsche, which was shocking to find so quickly in Ireland, but Alice used her perfected luck to our advantage once again. She had a Porsche fettish and had been disappointed in my Ferrari choice two days earlier.

We'd shared little conversation and hadn't spoken of Bella, Rosalie, or Esme's breakdowns that she had to witness. We spoke of where we were headed, but Alice's mind was blocked with that of the Volturi's gaining on us, so I kept it a surprise, unsure of her reaction to whom we were meeting in Ireland.

Driving three or four hours to our location – at a speed that had to be forced out of even the hi-tech vehicles – Alice was shifting nervously in her seat and I calmed her. The last vision was of the Volturi catching our scent, but losing it once they hit the water because we had split up, landing on different ends of Ireland, where I had been met by Alice in her Porsche. Naturally, we were both nervous and the fact that we didn't know where our family was headed in their separate pairs added to our anticipation.

We pulled up to 153rd St. Andrew's Street and Alice looked at me with widened eyes. "So this is why you didn't tell me where we were going?"

I didn't answer.

Walking up to the door with what little luggage we had, I knocked on the large mahogany door. In any other circumstance, I would be marveling at the structure's durability and art form. Constructed of brick, extremely close to the house next to it, I was shocked that they had lived here without wiping out their neighbors, whom I heard arguing about expenses clearly.

The latch on the door at eye level unhooked and a pair of red eyes brightened at the sight of me. As soon as I met the eyes, the latch shut and the door opened. "Major," the pet name still irked me, but I allowed the cringe to surpass. "And Miss. Alice! Come in, come in," Charlotte grinned from ear to ear, grabbing our hands and pulling us inside.

Despite Alice's obvious discomfort, she embraced Charlotte – the sisterly bond they had shared through their infrequent visits was too great to ignore. "Charlotte," she acknowledged with a newfound relief that I hadn't ensued. This is what she needed; a sense of relaxtion, or home, of family…

"Alice," Charlotte returned the embrace with her own genuine smile and I placed our bags on the floor, slightly smiling at the relief that filled the room. "After getting Jenks' envelope, I thought you would be joining us, but Peter wasn't so sure…"

"Precautions," Peter appeared at the top of the stairs with a wide grin. "Major has always been one to think ahead." In a second he was down the stairs and in front of me, holding out his hand for me to shake firmly before ignoring the manly façade he tried to withstand and pulled me in for a brotherly hug. "Good to see you again."

"And you," and I felt my own sense of tranquility in the presence of my allies.

"But what or (i)who(/i) do I owe this pleasure?" her asked, gripping my shoulders and holding me at arms length, looking at me to see what was the matter, as if he had the ability to unmask my grief.

"It's… quite a long story," I said with a nervous chuckle and Alice gripped my hand. Despite my failures and slip-ups, I feared that Alice would be the one to loathe me in this instance since I was the one who began this spiraling downhill horror of an eternity – or lack thereof – we now had to face, But here she was; my reason for being, holding my hands in the toughest of times and my nerves were settled with reassurance. My eyes turned to bore into the young woman standing next to me, who despite everything we've been through, stood by my side. She offered me a half smile through her pained façade and I returned it.

Charlotte and Peter noted the exchange and glanced amongst them as well. "Well—perhaps we would discuss it in the study?" Charlotte offered despite the awkward tension.

I nodded, tearing my eyes from my wife to squeeze her hand and follow my allies into the extravagant study of this house that they had obviously not paid for—or had they?

After explaining our dilemma from Edward's continuing to see Bella after their visit when Edward had just returned from Denali after "protecting" the fragile human, to Bella's birthday party where I slipped up. They noted that as "our nature," causing Alice to shudder. Perched on the arm of the chair, Alice sat, holding my hand, and listening over the recap – that I edited – of my stay with the Volturi.

* * *

By the end of my story telling, skipping over Maria's murder, Alice ended up in my lap; my arms snaked around her waist as I held her, allowing her to relax into me for the comfort she desperately wanted to feel.

"And these Cullens of yours," Peter said, always having a problem of the idea of a family of vampires, a coven that tied you down, especially one who went against the basic nature of our species. "Do they know of your situation?"

"They've split up," Alice spoke for the first time in my awkward spotlight. "Each of them and—their mate," she tried to reword so that Peter and Charlotte would understand. "They left in pars and split up. Forks would be the first place the Volturi would look…"

"And Maria?" Charlotte asked. Peter reflexively crossed one leg over the other, an eyebrow arching in curiosity.

How could I word this? "She was a decoy so that we had the seconds to escape."

Peter opened his mouth to ask for details, but Charlotte put her hand over her chest in sympathy at our journey. "What a mess," she said honestly.

Alice sighed and her hand cupped my cheek, her eyes searching for mine. I met her gaze briefly before looking back to Peter and Charlotte. "We are truly thankful that you kept in touch and you welcomed us—despite this… mess." It was hard dismissing everything that happened in such a small word, in such an incomplete—

"Anything for Jasper and his Alice," Peter said with a smile. "We do have a bit of a problem, however…" he shifted and Charlotte shot him a glare, but he gave her a look that said, what else can I do?' and I feared the worst. "We have—some, um… guests arriving for a—dinner party."

_Oh._

Alice cringed and stiffened in her spot on my lap and I coaxed her fist to open just enough for my fingers to lace with hers. "Well, we'll dabble in a bit of shopping in town—Alice did see a boutique that seemed to catch her eye."

Charlotte hung her head, feeling a bit of shame. I'm sure if given the chance, she would try to adapt to our way of life, but she hadn't. Maybe I was giving her too much credit. Maybe the shame was from our last encounter with Peter and Charlotte when they jokingly mentioned where to eat and Alice had a bit of a fit.

"What time will they be—arriving?" Alice asked fighting to find her composure.

"You have time to wash up and change. Charlotte has a few things that you can borrow if you don't have clean clothes." True, our bags had gotten wet on our overseas—

Before I could finish the thought, Alice thanked them swiftly and was up the stairs. I sighed, sending my friends and apologetic look, though I, too, was disgusted of the humans they continued to prey upon when there were other options that they knew of. I followed Alice up the stairs and into the guest room that she found as she ripped open the damp suitcase, throwing the clothes she salvaged out onto the redwood canopy bed.

She continued to throw things out of her bag before I forced her arms down at her sides and wrapped my arms around her from behind. "I'm sorry," I whispered in her ear and she sighed, calming down enough so that I let go of her and she didn't continue her rampage.

"It's not your fault," she said with a sigh of defeat. "We had no where else to go." I turned toward the bathroom door, but her hand caught mine and she pressed a kiss to my cheek before cutting me off and going into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. "Ladies first," she teased before I heard the water run; I smirked.

* * *

We entered a store that was crammed with souvenirs. From 'Kiss Me I'm Irish' tee shirts caked with sequins and glitter around the faded discolored lips, to the music boxes that all, but three actually had a step-dancing girl ironically spinning around giddily to the tune of "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean", Alice was not interested.

I jokingly made her go in here, wanting her to relax because I knew two things. One, we had time to spare. Peter and Charlotte got creative with their dinner parties and didn't dive right in, but welcomed their guests with food. As morbid as it sounds, vampires don't like malnourished blood. Two, Alice didn't work well under pressure and since her last vision was hours ago, I thought a little relaxation would bring about another one.

So as I went up and down the small cramped aisles of the pack-rat gift shop, I found claddagh rings. In Ireland, from my stays here in the past, I've heard of the tradition of these small rings. One is given to your friend or lover as a promise ring or a set of linking the two of you. Alice was at my side in an instant.

"What hideous thing did you find now?" she joked and stopped. I looked at her and gave a half-smile, going to the counter and paying for the set of claddagh rings. They were cheap and Alice was antsy to buy things for us to wear other than those that she found in the Volturi room of victims' clothing.

I slid the ring on her finger as we walked and we shared no discussion over it. I wasn't sure if she knew what the ring symbolized, but I knew that she loved it. She was relaxing, which was my plan.

Later, we walked the streets as the overcast sky turned darker and rain began to pour. We ducked into a classy boutique, the only one in this small town, filled with vintage apparel that was refinished. Alice marveled at the pearl necklaces, the dresses, the lace stockings, but kept her mind open, grabbing shirts, skirts, pants, and all things that she knew would fit. She used her visions for small seconds at a time.

Handing me five pairs of pants, six button-down cotton shirts, and then starting her pile in my arms on top, I maneuvered my way to the cash register. There, standing behind the counter, was the epitome of an Irish stereotype. With red hair, plump, flushed cheeks, and freckles, the woman was more than helpful so long as we were paying for all that we piled next to her. The store was empty and my mind was elsewhere; stopping temptation wasn't the thoughts at hand.

Grabbing lace stockings and crouching down to look at the shoes that lined the bottom shelf, Alice was focused and I stood back far enough away so not to disturb her and close enough so that I could catch pairs of shoes that she flung at me.

The woman, however curious, kept her mouth shut. I jokingly tried to lighten the mood with; "she knows what she wants," and the woman in turn chuckled. I did lighten the mood with a bit more accommodation, but the woman didn't seem interested on our peculiarity, but more our beauty, I suppose.

I remembered our first time shopping before we left Philadelphia together. I guess the shock on my face when the trip was over and our heavy load was labeled with a price was what Alice laughed at. Now, I was used to it, jokingly making up excuses and whatever I could to ease the mood of those around her.

She stood from her bargain crouch and beamed up at me. At least I knew the antidote to her lack of optimism: shopping. Sure, she still knew what was going on, where we were, and why, but she had a flicker of happiness jolt through her vacant aura and I smiled as well, relieved that she finally felt something.

"All set?"

"Almost," she looked over my shoulder and the smile grew as she grabbed a fedora and put it right on top of my head. "Now I'm done," she said, taking a step back with a satisfied nod.

Standing at the counter, the woman began small talk. From were we tourists to how we liked her idea of a vintage boutique in such a small town; mostly Alice gabbed about the lace everything.

"You seemed to know exactly what you wanted," the woman, who introduced herself as Elizabeth, said with a laugh, folding the third pair of pants before putting them in the bag and handing the now fourth full bag to me. "No need to try anything on."

To this comment, I smiled and laughed it off, looking toward Alice to see her brilliant smile, but was horrified to find her eyes blank. In a split second, I dropped the bags and caught her from falling backward.

"Oh my!"

"She's just fainted," I brushed off, squeezing Alice's upper arm and cradling her head that was inches from the ground. My fingertips brushed against her cheek trying to ease her back.

"Is she okay?"

"Do you have a damp cloth or—" I began, just trying to get her to either calm down or leave so that I could speak to Alice without an audience.

"Y—yes!" she darted off into one of the back rooms and Alice blinked twice, still the horror didn't leave her face.

"Alice?" She didn't respond, just looked at me. "What is it?"

"They found her—" was all she stuttered.

"Found who?" she closed her eyes and shook her head. "Found who, Alice? Esme?" she shook her head. "Rosalie?" once more. "Bella?" For the first time since the ordeal, I spoke her name; the name of my brother's mate, the name of my love's best friend, the name of my newest family member, the name of the young teenage girl whose mortality I instinctively stripped without a second thought.

"And Edward," she gripped my arm and I held her against me. As Elizabeth came back into the room with the damp cloth, she awkwardly handed it to me, but I didn't take it. I was frozen in place. In the sight of a human, there Alice and I were, two fugitives of our own kind, sitting in a small boutique in Ireland. Piles of vintage clothing that we no longer thought of were next to us, but we couldn't move to leave the store.

Only one thought echoed in my mind.

Only one fact haunted my conscience.

_The Volturi found Edward and Bella…_

_

* * *

_

**A/N: So it's September! And I updated! :) I'm nearing the end of this story, loyal and faithful readers. I have tons more ideas for new stories of New Moon rewrites and what not. They seem to be popular. Since New Moon is coming out in what, 78 days more or less, it makes sense. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. School starts the ninth for me, so let's hope that I get another chapter in.**

**Update at 130+ reviews. **

**Also, the "Meet the Author" thing will be Friday, September 4th, at 8PM EST. Link will appear in my author bio as the date comes closer. :)**


	18. Let Go by FrouFrou

_Playlist: Glasglow, Claire De Lune - Craig Armstrong, Let Go - Frou Frou(Kina Grannis Cover), Sound of Silence - Simon and Garfunkel(Kina Grannis Cover), The Mitch Hansen Band's album: Endless Day. _

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the twist I added to Stephenie Meyer's New Moon.

* * *

_

Standing up, I picked Alice up in my arms – not playing off the human aspect of fainting, but Alice was truly unstable. Pure agony ripped through me as I abruptly excused us, saying a doctor was probably the best and saying something about how she doesn't travel well before I left the small boutique. I looked around once, seeing no one around in the dark night before I darted back to 153rd St. Andrew's Street.

Nothing, but agony... She didn't protest when I put her down and after a quick catch when she leaned back, she stood upright outside of the house. It was brightly lit, but the lights were—flickering. Suddenly the house went dark and I reached out a hand to grab Alice's, but she was already at the door, not waiting for me. She was—following a vision, it looked like, but the normal blank slate I felt when she was consumed in the future was not what I felt now.

Entering the house, every table was turned over, every mirror shattered, every book from the library strewn about the house as if a tornado swept through. Alice was already upstairs, her frazzled agony still present.

"Alice?" I called, looking around the house for Peter and Charlotte. "Love, your visions aren't always certain. In a matter of seconds Edward can catch on and leave before they reach him." She didn't answer me and I realized that Peter and Charlotte weren't here, but I still felt two other auras from upstairs along with Alice.

That sent me in a panic.

Racing up the stairs, I was met by an arm pulling me back and a shatter of pain rip through me. I can't say I was surprised to see Jane after feeling that pain, which I redirected toward her, but before I could any further, a foot connected with my shoulder, knocking me back from my knee-stance on the ground.

Grace, the same woman who I had lured to the Volturi after seducing her in the winery, the same woman who I had claimed to have no power though I knew Maria was well aware that she had no enhancement, was standing over me. Three more auras mixed into the atmosphere and suffocated me.

Three guards I recognized as being the newborns I had interrogated grabbed my upper arms and stood behind me, holding me an inch off the ground, keeping me upright through the pain that Jane hit me with, but I couldn't concentrate seeing as I couldn't see Alice down the hall or around us.

"STOP!" I thrashed against the two guards at my sides and Grace took a step forward.

"It's so convenient that you and the clairvoyant had your little runaway just in time for us to take Jane on her first escapade," Jane beamed.

"Where is she?"

"Who?" Jane asked innocently. I was sickened by the sarcastic sweetness that flooded her voice.

"WHERE IS SHE?"

"I believe he means the seer, ma'am," Grace answered and I scoffed. How naïve.

Jane shot her a glare and looked back toward me. "I'm afraid you don't need to know that, nor will I tell you," she smiled at that fact. "But I can certainly tell you where your forger is… and those friends of yours who owned this lovely house…" Again, that sickening grin hit her face.

I didn't answer, hoping all of this was a bluff, but knowing that it wasn't. No one escapes the Volturi and gets away with it and if your friends are involved, but aren't meaning to be, then they certainly don't live to tell.

"Well your forger, Jenks am I correct? He had quite a happy ending. He is working for us now for various paperwork and things we need to travel. He is quite a pleasant man; very accommodating," she paused and took a step forward, waving her hands and the two guards released me so that I collapsed to the ground again when the pain hit me.

All I could think about was Alice; stay sane for Alice; stay calm for Alice; remain accommodating for Alice's sake…

"Charlotte was a lovely girl, it was hard to see her go and Peter—well a few pieces were a bit feisty in the end, but I'm almost positive we've gotten it all."

That was it.

I lunged.

* * *

The rest of my time was dark and silent. I awoke; I supposed you could say, in a daze. My eyes took a minute or two to adjust to the room. It was an equally dark room and even so, there was something holding back my vision and sense of perception. My eyes landed on a shadowed girl sitting at the edge of the bed where I was sitting toward the other end.

"How're you doing, Mister Whitlock?" Grace…

I looked up and her eyes pierced through the darkness with poignant intensity. I strained to get a look at her, but then my vision was gone completely. I couldn't even read the emotions in the room.

"I see you did have a talent after all," I noted. "And how you control it in so little time is truly fascinating. I'd congratulate you in any other circumstance."

"Maria was wrong either way, the Volturi knew that without having to ask you for Alice's insight."

"Still, how you got around Alice's grasp of—"

"The future isn't always certain, isn't that what you said?"

I didn't answer, though 'touché' was on the tip of my tongue. I knew she was ordered not to tell me, but maybe I could ask through my blind fuzziness of my surroundings. I couldn't even taste the atmosphere around me. "Where is she?"

Her voice was strained, "you know I can't tell you."

So was mine, "please."

She sighed heavily and spoke evenly and cautiously with each word having a thought process before being spoken. "You won't be seeing her again."

My heart dropped. "They recruited her, didn't they?" Not that it would be hard… With Chelsea, I was blocked of any memory of Alice until I came face-to-face with her and looked for an answer. Alice would be spared and I would be disposed of. "Are Bella and Edward here, at least?"

She didn't answer, or I couldn't hear her answer. I was silently preparing myself for Jane to come in or Aro or one of the Volturi to give me their last words of disappointment before disposing of me. I felt fine knowing that Alice would be here with Bella and Edward, but I was still thinking of other possibilities.

Killing me was too easy. I tried to think of my enemies, of how they would dispose of me if they had the chance and realized that a death is too easy of an end. I would be begging for it after what they had in store.

"Get up," her voice was at my ear and she grabbed my arm, bringing me to my feet. I was still under a blindfold, concealing all of my enhanced senses, and I started on a long walk down the hallway.

The only thing I heard was of our feet in sync, clopping along the cobblestone floored hallways in this underground masterpiece, which I had memorized easily. Each corridor, each hall, each room was being passed and marked in the floor plan in my head. We were heading toward the largest hall; the hall where I had been brought to when I first arrived, to murder my creator, among other things.

Still, the muffled sounds of our feet connecting with the floor and Grace's light tense hold on my arm frightened me.

Something was coming.

Something Grace was too anxious to blurt out.

Something that ruled my future awaited me behind those doors.

Something that ruled Alice's fate, and Edward's, and even Bella's.

The door unlatched and swung open. Two arms grabbed my upper arms and I recognized the tight holds as Afton and Demetri. I was brought to sit in a chair, and once I was sitting, their hands kept me down by the shoulder. Still, I wasn't granted with sight or much hearing.

The footsteps shifting around the room was all I heard, but then a timid cry and a shriek of anguish.

Alice.

I shot up, but was knocked back down to the chair. "LEAVE HER OUT OF THIS," I growled, but felt that all the intensity I had in my voice was lessened by my lack of volume.

"It's fine, Jasper—I'm f—fine," she stuttered and I had a feeling that this was forced.

Tunnel vision blurred out everyone, but Aro, Marcus, and Caius who were standing in front of me. "Welcome back," a clear voice finally.

"I have to say, we should thank you for running off. I don't believe we would've gotten to Edward and his precious Bella if it hadn't been for your runaway," Aro continued, quite calm.

A tear of pain and cry of terror as I heard my Alice collapse to the ground. My vision was clear, my hearing was perfect, but my body was in agony as I watched Jane stand behind Alice, who was on the ground cringing in pain. Again, I tried to jump up, but both Afton and Demetri held me down.

"PLEASE! SHE'S NOT THE ONE YOU—" Aro threw a hand over his shoulder and Jane relaxed, leaving Alice on her hands and knees, struggling to catch her breath. I yearned to reach out a hand, to run to her side and make every discomfort go away, but Grace's hold on me blocked my final sense and I was no longer living Alice's pain and agony, but witnessing it.

"Please," I muttered, too distraught to speak with anger. I hung my head, defeated. "Just let her go—please."

A sickening laugh broke through the room, ricocheting off the walls and hitting me with full force. "Oh, Jasper, you didn't think we had nothing planned here, did you?" Marcus boomed.

"Let me," Caius was licking his lips in anticipation.

"Patience, brothers, patience."

* * *

_I wrote this two days ago, but it wouldn't let me post it. I dunno why. Here's the deal: my ending is not happy, but it's also not what you think. I'm giving you a warning and I will post another warning chapter before the final one and then an epilogue and then my outtakes. _

_I am warning you now so that when the ending arrives, you don't flame this story with upset. Relax. Make up your own ending in your head if you want and leave this story now or would you like me to also post a happy ending that you can switch off to where Carlisle comes and saves the day? Cause that's not in my plans now._

_Again, I am warning you to stop now or continue reading, but no whining._


	19. Sound of Silence by Simon&Garfunkel

ONE FINAL WARNING:_ no whining, no complaints. Respect. This is not a happy ending. _

_Playlist: Everybody Hurts - REM, These Are My Twisted Words - Radiohead, The Call - Regina Spektor (Kina Grannis cover), Give Me Novocaine - Green Day, Falling Slowly - Kina Grannis cover, Sound of Silence - Simon&Garfunkel (Kina Grannis cover)_

_Disclaimer: I do not own these charters (except Grace), but I do own the twist.

* * *

_

I waited as silence ensued. Minute by minute passed as I hung my head and the Volturi conversed too fast for me to comprehend in this agony and consuming anticipation.

"Shall Edward and his Bella bare witness to this?" Caius was over-excited, but as I sat in that chair, Alice in front of me, I looked up only one to meet her pained gaze.

"I'm sorry," I mouthed.

"I love—" but she was cut off by a jolt of pain courtesy of Jane. I growled reflexively; Aro threw a hand over his shoulder.

"Enough," he picked my head up and stood behind me. In fact, I heard the entire audience move behind me. "You won't be looking at me; you'll be looking at your wife."

"Let her go," I hissed as my gaze was forced her way, but I realized then that it was planned.

Grace numbed every sense except those that were focused her way. Everything around me was a mere blur, but Alice was crystal clear. I could make out the shadow of Jane, but never the intensity of her gaze as she focused on my Alice. My deadened heart wrenched and cringed away from the sight of her, but my ability to sense the feelings of those around me was heightened.

In fact, all of the pain that Jane inflicted on my love was doubled, tripled, quadrupled. Not only was I feeling Alice's pain, but also my own from watching her like this. I tried to shut my eyes, but they were forced open again.

"PLEASE!" I screamed, bellowed, yelled, thrashed, and contorted to try and throw myself in her place or to break Jane's concentration. Anything, anything to get Alice out of this pain that doubled its intensity when it reverberated back to me.

Alice didn't beg. My stubborn wife wouldn't back down to begging, wouldn't utter a word, but a mere grunt of pain. Here I was, making a scene, and Alice endured it. I tried to remain reserved, containing my temper after a moment, though my eyes burned from watching her.

Finally, after I lay off of the scene I created, Jane relaxed and Alice fell to the ground, her face hitting the concrete, cracking it. Suddenly the pressure left my shoulders and Afton pulled the chair out from under me. I, too, hit the concrete full force. My senses were still under Grace's control, but everything was blurred in a haze.

I didn't understand what now. What did they want me to do? I wasn't facing Alice, I couldn't see her, not now. I wasn't going to speak for fear that they'd start her torture all over again.

I didn't move.

I didn't breathe.

I heard a small whimper from Alice who was a mere three feet away from me. I cringed and went to get up, looking toward the Volturi, who – in their blurred mass – nodded in unison.

"Go to her," their voices echoed.

Struggling, aching, on the verge of an emotional avalanche, I staggered over to where my Alice lay. Lifting her head, I looked into her eyes and pressed my forehead to hers.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered over and over, but Alice didn't move nor did she answer me. "Alice…"

"Jasper," Aro was standing over us with his brothers at his side. I didn't look up, just tried to soothe Alice the best that I could. "We didn't want it to come to this. In fact, if you had listened to us when we told you to stay out of the imprisonment wing, none of this would've happened. Alice would have been recruited by default and you would've seen her on limited occasions until perhaps you were loyal enough for another relationship and—"

A foot to my jaw sent me sliding across the concrete into the farthest wall courtesy of Caius. "Look at him when he is speaking to you, vile, filthy piece of—"

"Patience," Aro held up his hand and Marcus put a hand on Caius' shoulder, holding him back.

I flexed my muscles, inch by miniscule inch, testing my strength. If I threw myself at them, maybe they would kill me instead—no, then Alice wouldn't have the strength to escape.

"Get up," Caius ordered and I staggered to my feet; the emotional pain too much to endure. My bones felt spongy, my muscles felt stiff, and my head ached. Venom seeped to my mouth for the prey that my body was willing and anticipating the demise.

Caius and Marcus took hold of each of my arms before I could collapse back to the ground. The lack of senses were exhausting and I slowly felt myself sinking to the ground, but they kept be an inch off of it and they continued their torture.

"We want you to watch the light leave her eyes," Aro grinned. "Jane," he ordered and she grinned as well, walking behind Alice once again. Grace was in the doorway, her eyes locked on me in concentration.

Alice grimaced and thrashed against the floor, but I closed my eyes tightly and cringed away. "PLEASE!" I yelled and Jane stopped, Alice fell to her hands and knees, and Aro tapped his foot.

"Please," I whispered before I began begging. Yes, I, Jasper Whitlock, began begging. "Don't harm her—take me, please, take me instead… I'll give you whatever you want; I'll—"

"Enough," Caius ordered, looking at Aro who was taking a moment to ponder. "Oh, you can't be serious, Aro!" he groaned.

Suddenly he locked eyes with Marcus, who dropped his hold of me and Caius stealthily took hold of my arms behind my back. I knew of Marcus' past. I knew of the hell Aro had put him through from the little that Carlisle had mentioned. I also never thought that was why he was quiet in this scenario, why he was the one who kept me as his apprentice, so-to-speak… Marcus couldn't watch me watching Alice's torture.

"What's the problem?" Caius seethed.

Aro bowed his head as Marcus left the room muttering, "Didyme," over and over.

"GET ON WITH IT," Caius boomed.

Aro's eyes locked to mine and he beckoned me forward with one finger. "Lift her," he said, not taking his eyes off of me. Demetri obeyed, holding Alice up.

His finger traced her jaw line and cheek, turning her head up toward me. "Such a pretty thing," he cooed and I lunged again, but Caius held me back.

Jane released one of her more powerful tactics that we had both worked on improving. Alice exploded in a gut-wrenching scream and I thrashed in Caius' arms. Then as soon as it had started, it ended and I looked up to see the light gone from Alice's eyes.

It was gone.

My bubbly love, my optimistic gazelle, my adoring pixie, my eternity, my love, my Alice was no longer Alice. She was gone, but Caius didn't leave me to sink to the floor, he gripped tighter. She was still there. All senses became clear as I heard the door shut, knowing Grace had left the room.

Aro encircled us, his footsteps were a quick presto on his menacing metronome and I locked eyes with his when he stopped behind Alice.

"Kill her," he ordered me with an innocent stare, a menacing one as if seeing if I could do it.

I couldn't.

I opened my mouth to speak, to protest, to scream, but shut it and shook my head ashamed, looking down.

"She's gone, Jasper, she won't feel anything," he encouraged me.

"She's not," I protested, a dry sob heaving from deep within my chest. "She's not gone."

"She is. Your precious Alice is as alive as your heart. She is no longer with us, she won't feel it."

"She's alive, she's still here," I begged, trying to convince myself. Aro gripped my throat, raising me three feet off the ground.

"SHE'S NOT HERE ANYMORE. KILL HER," he ordered me.

Jane went again and Alice screamed, but I knew the light was gone. I knew that even if she survived this, she would be permanently damaged, scared, forever no longer my Alice. From the echoing scream to the whispers and taunts of 'kill her', Alice's own begging reached me.

"Please, Jazz," she screamed. "Please!"

Then everything went dark…

The next thing I did has been forever erased from my memory.

It was horrid.

It was hideous.

It was animalistic.

And then, as if nothing happened,_ silence continued_.

* * *

**Please wait until the epilogue before you complain. Review, yes, but wait until the epilogue that I've already written. I will post at 150+ reviews. **


	20. Falling Away With You by Muse Epilogue

_A/N: I appreciate the positive and yet mournful reviews of those who did review. I know I said 150+ reviews until the epilogue, but I can't wait another 2 reviews, I need to share the end of the end. Thank you for reading, thank you for supporting. I will continue to post outtakes and new chapters of the former ones in different points of view, but this story is officially complete._

_Playlist: Everybody Hurts - REM, Falling Away With You - Muse, Human - The Killers, Drunken Waltz - 100 Monkeys, Goodbye Midnight - The Spring Standards_

_Disclaimer: The twist belongs to me; everything else is Stephenie Meyer's._

_

* * *

_

Epilogue

The days were the same. I would sit… alone… in this small space of a room, waiting for Grace to grace me with an insignificant vile of blood. Three to four drops maximum; that was enough to keep me sustained. To keep me alive…

You see the Volturi mastered their torture perfectly. I was alone in a dark room that I could barely make out my surroundings, Al—she was gone, and I sat alone paranoid waiting for the day that they decided to either take me out of hiding to join them again, or to just kill me.

To leave me alone with little blood and little interaction was the ultimate torture. Did I mention pacing didn't help? Pacing like a moronic paranoid robot sent me in more paranoia.

As for my only contact, Grace, she spoke to me. No, not speaking, throwing herself at me. At first I thought perhaps if I allowed her to come near me… in… that… way, then perhaps she would convince the Volturi to release me, but I was well aware that living through this was better than living a lie to reach a sense of power in their sick family.

The door opened and I cringed as Grace stepped in the room. A vile of blood clasped in her hands and she shook it as if I could hear the miniscule drops slosh around. "It's four drops," she beamed and I didn't answer.

She shut the door behind her and was on her knees on the bed right next to me where I sat, rigid, stoic. "Will you open your mouth?"

I was about to, but a sickening reality came over me. They were keeping me alive with this blood… I could just refuse the blood and die quicker. Four drops kept me alive for another twelve or so hours before I—what? Die? Is that possible? Would I just render unconscious and they'd have to dispose of me.

I shook my head and Grace pouted, what she tried to make seductive. Her lips brushed against my ear and I remained rigid. "Please?" she whispered, her hand sliding to my opposite shoulder, sliding down to the buttons on my shirt.

Taking her hand, I took it off my shirt and placed it in her lap. My eyes were locked forward as she tried once again to "seduce" me, but I took her hand and crushed it in what little strength I had in my hand, my head turning to meet her gaze.

Crimson fresh-fed eyes met my onyx gaze and I glared. "No," I said simply. Grace looked at me with glazed over eyes as if she were to cry, but fixed the collar of my shirt as my head turned back straight.

"Please," she whispered in my ear. "I can tell that they are warming up to the idea of you being released so long as you are with me. Wouldn't that be best? Released with a new mate—seeing Edward and Bella again—"

I shot up and stood in front of her. "Don't you dare speak of Edward and Bella," I hissed. "And I don't want to be released like a wild animal tamed with a woman."

I began pacing again, too frustrated to continue this fighting, before I leaned against the wall and slid down to sit with my head in my lap, my knees pressed to my chest. And—for the first time since this torture—I let out a dry sob, hoping that the sobs would stop the pain, but it did anything but.

I heard the door open, a moment of hesitation, and the feeling of her hand reaching out to me, before she slammed it and flew down the hall. My heart was gone, my insides were dry, my body was numb.

My Alice was no longer mine. My Alice was gone…

And so was I.

My body convulsed, I felt darkness begin to deepen the already dark room. My muscles and bones were loose, and I was expecting something past death, where my soul – if there were one to spare – would leave my body to mirror Alice.

But the door flew open again and someone grabbed my head, tilting it up, opening my jaw, and dropping five drops of blood on my tongue, which dissolved quickly – too quickly.

Utter despair for my lack of success at suicide mixed with relief hit me before I blinked feverishly to get the newly found light out of the room and to focus on my surroundings.

I now remembered this cell. When I had first arrived they showed me how to "deal with a victim" in this very room. Their latest secretary had attempted escape and they were taunting her before devouring her. The stone floor-to-ceiling room was dark, damp, and empty except for a bed that was covered in metal coils and a dusty mattress that was only three inches thick and would explode in debris if hit too hard.

Now I could focus enough to find out my surroundings, but those hands didn't belong to Grace…

Who had quenched my thirst, though – if I had the breath – I would've protested?

Who? The one who started this all; the one who ruined our family's lives or lack thereof and sent them all into split hiding, into utter hells, into pure agony over this situation. Yes, my venom had begun this mess, but her sweet alluring blood had provoked me.

I looked up into the eyes of Isabella Marie Swan, who stared down at me with sympathetic eyes. It sickened me, but our gaze lingered. Her crimson red eyes gleamed at the sight of me, but turned mournful and sorrowful once seeing my distress.

I wanted to scream, to yell at her. I wanted to say, "I could've died! Why did you have to ruin it, to ruin everything? Why did you have to come to Forks? Why—" The questions bubbled over, but never left my lips.

I stared.

And so did she.

My venom coursed through this once innocent young mortal girl's veins and that same venom, those same veins were now toying with my paranoia and sanity just as I must have with my own actions. Payback, revenge, those weren't terms to use here. Obeying orders was one I could deal with.

I thought to use the little strength I had to make her pass out, unconscious, but I knew that the time it took me to escape, I would be caught and just put back here – not destroyed.

So we stared, and stared, and stared…

A meaningful stare that spoke one thousand words, but none were ever passed aloud.

"Bella?" Edward's voice emerged from down the hall and Bella broke my gaze, looking toward my former brother. I swallowed the venom that flooded my mouth and looked straight ahead, trying to block them out.

Bella glanced at me again and left the room, shutting the door and leaving me in a room of utter—pure—

I was in a hell where I once had my angel.... _But Satan wasn't going to let me leave_…

_"I'm bending backwards for ya, honey..._

_I'll find a way to make things funny,_

_They'll be nothing left..._

_But it's all right,_

**Goodbye Midnight**_."_


	21. Outtake One

**Outtake. This was the original Chapter 10. I'm not sure if I meant it to be Chapter 10 or Chapter 11, but someone had reviewed requesting the Cullen perspective in all this. I wrote this and exited the window after a while because I wasn't satisfied. This introduces my theory of "conservation of pain", which will be explained toward the end of this chapter.**

**Also, I have one other outtake, but please review with a character point of view and chapter you would like me to write. I will eenie meanie miny mo it or pick whatever is the most interesting. Thanks for reading!**

"Because we've lost a family member!" Carlisle boomed. "Do you understand that? Losing a family member is like losing a piece of all of us! The girl is fine, you have no business here, he is gone and taking responsibility for his action no matter how at fault or not at fault he was in this situation. We are not starting a war with you, we will leave quietly without anymore disturbances."

Edward shut the door behind him as I sat on the bed. I didn't remember how I got here. Did he carry me? After the silence that followed my comment, I faded in and out of forcing myself to grasp Jasper's future. Nothing. Was I this unattached to him now? I gripped the pillow behind me, hugging it to my chest and covering my quivering lips, burying only half of my face into the down feathers. Frustrated by the smell of him, I launched my arm back as if to throw it across the room, but broke down and hugged it tighter, ripping the seam in the process.

I dry sobbed into the pillow, silently wallowing in this newfound agony and emptiness that he cast upon me. Then it was replaced by rage. _HOW COULD HE LEAVE ME? WE PROMISED! ALWAYS TOGETHER! _I tore around the room, lamps breaking, mattress ripped to shreds, I went to my closet and threw his clothes out one by one, everything he left here, ripping up his vests, ties, suits, pants, everything! How DARE he! I choked on sobs as I moved back to the drawers and ripped through socks and kicked his shoes out of the closet and around the room.

"Alice, honey," Esme tapped on the door three times. Rosalie was with her… Emmett, too. When I opened my mouth to answer, to tell them to go away, I choked and said nothing. The door opened and their faces fell in sympathy. Emmett went behind me and struggled to put my arms down, to drop his leather dress shoes that I was ripping to shreds without hesitation. I fought against him and elbowed him in the abdomen.

"Stop! Just—let me… let me do this!" I yelled, delirious. He was obviously stronger and managed to tear the shoe out of my grasp, locking my arms down at my sides. My entire body relaxed and he caught me in a hug, turning me around. I buried my face in his abdomen, too short and too weak to even look up at him. He rubbed my back in circles as I sobbed; as soothing as it was, it didn't help. My fist grabbed his shirt in desperation, holding onto something—anything to make the pain go away. My family just watched in awe and astonishment that their bubbly Alice could fall this easily.

"I can't see him," I choked out and Emmett sat on the chair, so he could make eye contact with me. Rosalie was right behind him.

"What do you mean?" he asked patiently.

"He's gone—he doesn't have a future anymore, or at least nothing I can see." He glanced toward the doorway and Carlisle stepped in front of Bella and Edward, silently telling Edward to leave with Bella. My best friend was the last person I wanted to see or even look at.

"Alice, dear, you're too distraught," Carlisle said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You can never force a vision with this much anxiety. Give yourself some—"

I only caught the beginning before my eyes blanked and I was shot into a vision. As hazy as it was, Charlie was driving, angrily, to the Cullen house, surpassing red lights in his cruiser. The arms that gripped my shoulder were too tight to be Jasper, but they sickeningly reminded me of his protection. "Charlie's coming, we have twenty minutes," I took a step back, away from my family who was all around me now. It was suffocating…

"Esme, get the contacts from your dresser, warn them—Rosalie," the two followed Carlisle's orders and Emmett held my hand tightly. "Emmett, you can stay for now and…"

"No," I said immediately. "I want to be alone—I'm obviously not facing Charlie now, he won't ask for me," though I knew that was a lie, I said it with confidence. Carlisle contemplated the idea for a moment or two more before nodding. Emmett squeezed my hand and left the room as did Carlisle and I stood there, arm crossed over my chest, listening to the human-advice that my family gave Bella.

"Remember to shift at least every five minutes, maybe less… oh, and to blink! Bella, you need to lie—" The plan, or what I heard of the plan before I got too disgusted and sat down in the only piece of furniture untouched by my rage, was simple. Bella would tell Charlie that she was old enough now, she was eighteen, and she has found what she wants. She will move with Edward because the Cullens are leaving town—I didn't catch the end. It would work because Bella was old enough to leave her dad without penalty.

I hugged my legs against my chest as they practiced the idea, burying my face in my knees, closing my eyes and trying to calm myself for two reasons. The first reason was Carlisle was right; I can't have visions when I'm distraught. This way I could check up on Jasper if he did have a future, though my heart told me not to. Wouldn't that make me more upset? Seeing his future without me while I had no future without him?

The second was to fool my family. Edward wouldn't be snooping in my mind when it was swarmed with this much pain. If I were quieter, he would understand why and not pry for his family's reassurance and if he did, I would know. As soon as they turn their backs, I'd be gone.

"Charlie, so nice of you to stop by."

"Well after five days of Bella not being home, I thought a simple call would help, but—" Charlie stepped inside and I took a deep breath, inhaling enough air to make my lungs stretch it's capacity. "Look, I get it, all these kids together and they're all dating, you want them to be happy, but I don't think it's damn appropriate for my daughter to…"

"Dad."

"C'mon, you're going home," Charlie said sternly, or as stern as he could muster.

"Can I talk to you first?"

"You can talk to me in the car."

"No, I need to talk to you now."

_Relax… Breathe… Inhale, hold, two, three, exhale._ I could feel my muscles relax, though the shakiness in my bones and ache in my chest throbbed. I blocked out the conflict erupting below me, only hearing Charlie ask where I was.

"Alice and Jasper had a falling out, she's not up for visitors," Bella answered and I wanted to ring her neck at how casual that sounded.

_Relax… breathe… inhale, hold, two, three, exhale._ I thought about relaxing each inch of my body starting from my fingertips and toes to up my legs and arms. It slowly worked, my body becoming numb as my eyes opened wide and I stiffened.

_Jasper stood in a large room, the Volturi all seated in chairs in front of him, watching with delight. The blonde woman circled him and a young boy stood beside him. Kneading his back, the blonde's mouth was moving too fast and I couldn't comprehend what she was saying before I saw her force his shoulder blades to meet and the vision faded in and out, but shot me with extreme pain. It felt as if my entire body was on fire, the spark starting from my chest and moving across my limbs. I didn't realize I had made a noise, but my family was at my door, Carlisle beside me on the floor as I cried out._

_"WHAT'S HER NAME?" she yelled._

_"Alice," Jasper answered easily, painfully. Another crack and another shot of pain through me. Carlisle pinned my arms down at my sides almost as if stopping a seizure with holding my head._

_"Her name, Jasper! Her name!" she said sternly._

_"A—Alice," he answered, hesitating. He was—I didn't understand, the pain was too great._

_"Her name, once more," she pleaded._

_His eyes opened and he squinted. "Something with an—A… or was it an E?" that final shot of pain sent me numb and I didn't feel anything, didn't see anything after that. My vision went black. I understood, the Volturi were getting rid of his ties home._

Similar to conservation of mass and energy in science, there was a conservation of pain. With Jasper's pain gone, it had to go somewhere…


End file.
